The Affair
by HourGlassGirl
Summary: Ej worked so hard to let Samantha go, he built up walls and tried his best to keep her out. But once he returns to Salem to see his sick father, all those walls come crashing down when he runs into her casually at Salem Place. What will happen?
1. The History

Prologue:

Since the moment he met her, there was nothing that Ej wanted more then Samantha. He met her in the hall and knew that she was the love of his life. The smile she gave him just made all the power he had in the world fall. She was the one thing that could bring him to his knees and he knew it.

Samantha and Ej dated briefly before she decided to marry Lucas and he left town to get away from the legacy of his family. Samantha was happy with Lucas; they had the twins and Will. She knew her husband loved her and you always heard laughter in their house. But at night, when everyone was asleep, she was restless. She just felt like something was missing and could never figure out what it was.

It may have taken 5 years, but Ej finally got over her, he went through a string of girls and finally got off the bottle. But returning to Salem for Stephano when he took a turn for the worse was not his best move. He may have had a defense for all his enemies, but there was no defense for Samantha Brady. She could just make him melt with a smile and start fumbling over his words like a schoolboy.

Chapter 1 

Sami didn't even know that Ej came back to town when she seen him in Salem Place. She was picking up a present for the twins when she noticed him standing in front of the jewelry store. He was staring at the ring he bought for Samantha so many years ago, the one that still resided in his dresser.

"Ej, is that you?" she said as she walked up to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He knew it was her before he ever turned around. There was only one who could send a shock through him with the slightest touch.

"Samantha, hi. How have you been?"

"Good, good. What are you doing back?"

"My father, Tony called and said he took a turn for the worse and wanted to say goodbye to all his children."

"I'm sorry to hear that, I remember Uncle Bo mentioning that he wasn't doing so well. How long you back for?"

"Not sure, its not like I have anything waiting for me."

"There are days when that sounds like heaven. But I really need to get going, I have to pick the twins up from kindergarten soon."

"How are the twins doing?"

"Well Colleen is just like her mother, always causing trouble and her sister Alice is just as sweet as can be."

"You had two girls."

"Ya, I was hoping for a boy. Will was so much easier then these two, but at least they both don't take after me. I don't think the world is ready to handle three Samantha Brady's running around." She said and laughed. He forgot how much he loved that smile, and her laugh. It sent a shock right through him all over again.

"I'm happy for you, send my congratulation to Lucas."

"I will, it was good seeing you again." She said as she hugged him and they both felt the electricity that was still there between them. However, Samantha hid it much better then Ej.

The two headed their separate ways, Samantha to deal with her family and Ej to the bar. He needed a drink if he was going to be in the same town as her. He couldn't bump into her again, he knew that staying at the mansion was a good idea. That way he could be far away from her.

Ej spent 5 years building up walls around his heart, every woman he was with said the same thing, "he was emotionally unavailable." He knew that they were right, there was only one woman he ever loved and that would never change, Samantha still had his heart. Even though he put up a barricade to keep her out, she still got in, with a hug in the street.


	2. It all Began with a Kiss

Chapter 2 

Ej spent the next month avoiding Samantha at all costs, he just couldn't risk the chance of being left alone with her. It was too hard being that close and not being about to tell her he still loved her, that he would always love her. He wanted her and needed her in his life to ever feel complete again, but he knew that it was impossible. They were over a long time ago and now she was happily married to the man that stole her away.

Ej couldn't avoid her forever, for on day while visiting Stephano at the hospital, he bumped into her.

"Hey, how is he doing?" She asked, noticing she hadn't seen him in weeks.

"He's gotten worse, they don't think he'll live out the month." He said and immediately wished he wouldn't have, his father being ill made him vulnerable and he hated to be that in front of her. She could always use it to her advantage and he didn't want that, not again.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you ever need someone to talk to you know where to find me. I was actually heading to Chez Rouge to get dinner, would you like to join me?" She asked seeing the sadness in his face. He didn't know what to do, his heart was screaming for him to say yes, to go be with the love of his life, but his head was warning him not to fall into the trap of just being her friend again.

"Sure, I could use something to eat." The two walked away and Tony had heard them from inside his father's room. He knew that his little brother was going to get his heart broken all over again. If Samantha was good at anything, it was leaving broken hearts as a trail. The two ended up deciding on take out and eating at the mansion because Samantha knew Lucas would have a fit if they were seen together.

The two returned to the mansion and headed into the living room to relax and eat. Ej laughed for the first time in ages that night. He forgot what it was like to talk to Samantha, to open up and be free again. However, the bottle of wine got the best of them and things quickly got out of hand when Samantha went to give him a hug that ended in a kiss. Once they pulled apart they just stared at each other in silence. Neither one knowing what to say to the other.


	3. What do we do Now?

Chapter 3

Ej and Sami finally spoke to one another after spending 10 minutes in silence just staring at one another.

"Samantha, I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that." He said and went to turn away from her. But she instead pulled him into another kiss. In that kiss was the one thing that Samantha always felt like she was missing. She couldn't put her finger on what it was, but being with Ej made her feel whole.

The two ended up on the couch for 20 minutes before he carried her upstairs and to his bedroom. He laid her on his bed and then climbed on top of each other. This wasn't a slow seduction, this was as if their animal instincts were finally unleashed. Samantha ended up tearing Ej's shirt as she tried to rip it off, breaking off buttons that went flying across the room. Samantha couldn't get enough of him touching her, his kisses as they went from her shoulder to her neck and then down to her breasts. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like that, the last time she felt that passionate and free.

The two made love for over an hour before falling back on the bed in sheer exhaustion. Ej was the only one to utter a word while they made love, he told her he loved her and every time he would say her name she would tense up. She could sense the passion in his voice as he uttered the word. But she never said anything back; she didn't know what to say.

"Samantha, I love you, I always have." He said as he pulled her close to him and went to kiss her neck. But she pulled away; she started to think about her family and what they would think if she was found her.

"Oh my god, what have we done." She said and ran from the bed trying to quickly gather her clothes to get dressed.

"Samantha, what's wrong?" he said as he too got up and reached for some pants that were lying on the floor. "What's the matter?"

"I'm married, I have a husband and kids. I shouldn't be here." She said and ran out of the room, he ran after her but it was too late. She was gone, sped off in her car and he knew that was a slim chance she would ever return. He punched the wall and slammed the door as he came back in the house. He looked defeated, as if his entire world came crashing down around him.

"So is it safe to say that Samantha is gone?" Tony asked as he came from behind the wall.

"Of course, when it comes to me Samantha's always gone." Ej said and headed back up to his room. On the floor he found her earrings and cradled them in his hands, they were all he had left of her. He set them on his nightstand and crawled back into bed. He could still smell her, and feel her presence as if she were still in the room. He needed her now more then ever.

Samantha was racing home, trying to look as if she was put together, she seen a bag in the back and figure she would tell Lucas she got caught up in shopping, that was what she intended to do and it wasn't too late. He would believe that, he had to believe that. She pulled up in front of their home and tried to pull herself together.

"Lucas, I'm home." She said and walked through the house trying to find her family. Then in the family room, she found everyone fast asleep on the couch, a bowl of popcorn on the table and the twins asleep on Lucas. She wanted to cry when she seen them, here they were having a family night and she was off having a one nightstand with Ej. That's all it was, wasn't it? She thought to herself.

Samantha cleaned up the mess and draped blankets over everyone. She figured there was no use and waking them and decided to get a shower before going to bed anyway. She managed to make it to bed without Lucas waking up, but in the morning Lucas was there when she woke up.

Samantha managed to dodge all questions about where she was the previous night by pulling Lucas into a kiss and making love to him as if nothing was wrong. She didn't want him to get suspicious and he didn't, he just thought that she must have got in late and decided not to wake anyone.

Samantha and Ej avoided each other for the next two days, but then Ej showed up on her porch when she was home alone.

"What are you doing here?"

"You left these Samantha." He said, playing a pair of gold earrings in her hand. "And I figured we needed to talk."

"There is nothing to talk about. The other night was a mistake, a moment of weakness when we both weren't in our right mind. It shouldn't have happened and we both know that."

"I don't regret it Samantha. I meant everything I said that night, I do still love you."

"But I don't love you." She said and the words cut him like a knife. There he was, giving her the power over him again, to hurt him as she pleased and he would just bandage himself up and go back for more.

"You can't tell me that you don't love me."

"Yes I can." She said and pushed him back to the doorway. "Now please leave my house." She said but instead of him leaving, he pushed her against the wall and kissed her.

"You can't tell me that you don't feel anything when you kiss me. I know that you do."

"I don't." She said and headed towards the kitchen. "Don't be here when I get back." She said and he knew it was time to leave. Samantha went to the kitchen and put her head down on the counter, what was she doing. Of course she felt something when she was with Ej, he was the only one to stir that passion that she had deep down. He would make her come alive with a kiss, with a simple kiss, and the way he made love to her, it was all she could think about for days.

She looked at the earrings he handed her and knew that it wasn't all she left behind. She left her heart there too, he always had her heart, through the anger and the guilt Ej would always have a piece of her heart. Ej headed home after he left there, he needed a work out, maybe a run would erase all that they shared that night. He doubted it, but if not there was always the bottle of scotch his father left behind.


	4. She Ran to Him

Chapter 4

Ej tried to spend the rest of that day not thinking about her, but that was impossible when she showed up on his doorstep at midnight. Dripping wet from the rain and tears streaming down her face. He ushered her in and could see the pain that welled up in her eyes.

"Samantha what's wrong?"

"I…I…" She started to stammer out, but she couldn't get past the tears.

"It's ok, come in here and dry off. What are you doing out at this time of night?"

"I needed to see you." She said and looked up at him and seen the concern in his eyes. He reveled in the fact that she said those words to him. She needed him, and she wanted him. He could see that same look in her eyes she had the night they made love. The look of desire and lust that he couple always see.

"Why Samantha? You made it very clear earlier that you didn't want to see me."

"I don't know. I just felt uneasy and found myself in front of the mansion. I don't know why." She cried as he cradled her in his arms, she could feel his heart start to race as he put his arms around her.

"Its ok Samantha, calm down. It's gonna be ok." He said, he voice soothing and calm. He sat there for almost an hour, just calming her by talking softly and stroking her hair. Once again the two got caught up in the moment and ended up in his bedroom.

This time it was more seductive then anything else, he slowly peeled her clothes off instead of the quick removal of the other night. It was slow and calm and with more passion then the first time, neither thought it could be better but it was. There was no doubt that they were connected. Even without uttering a single word, they knew what the other wanted, you would have thought they could read minds with the way they explored each others bodies and pleased one another with ease.

Ej didn't go to hold Samantha this time, instead he just laid on his back staring at the ceiling, he knew that she would regret it and quickly rush out of the room and he didn't want to get hit in the process. However, Samantha had fallen asleep, she calmed and was asleep next to him. He rolled on his side and stared at her, her hair sprawled out across the pillow and hands wrapped in the sheet.

He stared at her for nearly an hour before she even begun to stir and just like he predicted she jumped up and ran from his room before he could stop her. He ran after her, but she just took off and Tony came out of the study to see Ej once again like a lost puppy sitting on the stairs starring at the door.

"When are you gonna learn? She doesn't love you Elvis, she's just using you."

"She loves me, I know she does." He said and headed to the bar instead of pouring a glass, he grabbed the entire bottle and headed to his room.

"He just wont learn." Tony said and returned to the study. Ej just around at his room, sheet thrown laid on his bed, looking in the corner and one of her earrings laying on the pillow, it must have fell off when she jumped up. He grabbed it and placed in on the nightstand, knowing that he would have to return it and this time he would not settle for being thrown out. They needed to talk, he needed to know where he stood.

Tony was right, he couldn't just keep going on with this charade of her coming to him in the middle of the night. As much as he loved her, as much as he loved making love to her, it was killing him to watch her run off to her perfect family when he was here getting drunk just to stand himself. He needed to know!


	5. Family and Lies

Chapter 5

Ej may have went to sleep under the impression he needed to confront Samantha, but he woke up under different pretenses. Maybe it was the hangover and maybe it was the fact that he had slept smelling her perfume, but he knew he couldn't walk away from Samantha.

"Little Brother, you are really falling apart. It's getting pathetic." Tony said as he came in and seen the empty bottle on the floor.

"Go away, I need to think."

"You need to wake up. Samantha Brady does not love you, she is using you and you are letting her."

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't know what she's doing. But at least this way I get a part of her. It may not be that often and it may only be in secret, but I get a piece of her. I get to hold her, even if it's only for a couple of minutes. I'll take that over nothing. I can't handle nothing." He just sat up and leaned over the side of the bed, head in hands just hoping for an answer.

"And do what in the meantime? Drink, turn into a drunk like a lovesick fool? You are a Dimera Elvis, you are not a fool, find someone else, move on and leave her behind."

"I cant move on! Don't you think I've tried? Every time I started to get close to someone I shut down. I will never love anyone like I loved her, there just isn't room in my heart for anyone else. She was the one and she will be the only one there." Ej said and headed to his dresser, in the top drawer was a velvet box, he never even opened it before he threw it at Tony.

"What is this?" He said and opened it to find a diamond ring, and engagement ring. "When did you buy this?"

"6 years and 3 months ago."

"And you still have it?"

"I bought it for Samantha and planned to ask her to marry me, but then father had to go telling her about me being a Dimera before I could and that just ruined everything, she picked Lucas and I ran away to England."

"So why didn't you get rid of it?"

"Threw it in a fountain once, but then I jumped in to get it." He said and took the box back and put it in his top drawer.

"You are hopeless." Tony said and left the room; he knew his brother needed to get over Samantha maybe he could help. Ej headed to the bathroom hoping a shower would help distract him. He made a decision, if Samantha pulled away this time, he would move on. As much as it killed him, he would move on. There was always whiskey.

Samantha did just that, when she came home that last time from Ej's she found her family missing. Even though she left Ej at 3, she didn't come home until after 9, she just kept driving around trying to figure things out. She crawled into bed when she finally did go home and cried until Lucas came home with the kids. She just didn't understand why she felt so horrible, it wasn't just the affair, it was something else.

Samantha vowed right then and there it was over, the affair with Ej the friendship she had with him. She was severing all ties and pulling the two apart once and for all. Maybe if she removed the temptation, she could remove the feelings that were surfacing in her heart.

The two stayed apart for a month before they finally ran into each other. Lucas had finally got Samantha to leave the house without the kids and wanted to take her out for a nice dinner. They went to Dune and were having a good time, they were laughing and joking around as if Ej had never come back to town. However, once Ej walked in with some brunette, all laughter stopped. Everyone in the room looked at his date, she was a picture perfect model, gorgeous and the envy of every guy in the room. But, Ej could have cared less, the moment his eyes locked with Samantha, he forgot about Jennie.

Samantha may not have been as extravagantly dressed, or had a designer haircut, but she was more beautiful then Jennie could ever be. He hair slightly curled was covering part of her face, but the moment she shook her head he could see it. The pair of blues eyes that always stopped him in his tracks, that could see into his soul and he couldn't turn away.

The two sat across the room but Samantha could feel Ej's on her, she always knew when he was starring. But when the tango was played, she looked over at him and smiled, it was their tango, their dance. Lucas asked her to dance, but she declined she couldn't dance with him to her and Ej's song, especially not in front of him. She knew that dance meant as much to him as it did to her. However, he got up and headed on the dance floor with his leggy brunette. Samantha watched as they danced and grew angrier with every turn. She couldn't believe he would do that, he would throw that right in her face, she was furious.

She knew she needed to scream, so headed to the bathroom and stepped out onto the terrace instead. Ej seen her leave and headed right out there with her. He went to put his hand on the small of her back to make his presence known, but before he could she swung around and slapped him.

"What was that for?"

"You bastard! How could you?" She said with pain in her eyes and a tear falling down her cheek. He could tell by the way her eyes turned gray that she was mad at him. Only he noticed how her eyes changed, deep blue when happy, a pale blue when seductive and a gray when she got angry, they were defiantly gray now.

"What? You come to me in the middle of the night, then end the affair without even telling me. Now I try to move on and you're furious with me?" He said, rubbing his hand where she slapped him, he could still feel the sting.

"That was our song! Our song Ej, how could you dance to our song in front of me with someone else? What is wrong with you?"

"What do you mean our song?"

"That was a tango, the same one we danced to on the pier. The same night you claimed to have fallen in love with me."

"I did fall in love with you that night, but that never mattered to you. You are with Lucas and I am out trying to deal with that."

"That doesn't give you the right to dance with her to our song. You didn't see me up did you?"

"No! I figured the little lapdog couldn't dance. But I didn't know that meant I couldn't. Samantha, you have broken my heart more times then I can count now, you make love to me and then leave before I can even get a chance to hold you. You sit there as I tell you how much I love you and say nothing, then when you do speak it is only to tell me that you don't love me and feel nothing for me. But isn't it strange sweetheart, that you claim to feel nothing for me but hold a dance from over six years ago so dear to your heart. Explain that one darling." He said and she went to slap him again but he caught her in mid air and the two ended up against the wall. As he pressed against her, she closed her eyes and her heart started to race. There it was, the passion only he could bring out in her. He ran his hand down her neck and whispered in her ear.

"You know you feel something, or else your heart wouldn't race the moment I touch you." He continued to whisper and kiss her neck. "You know you want me, so why lie? You may be lying to yourself but I'll always know the truth." He said and with that, returned to her date.

Samantha wiped away her tears and went back to the table with Lucas, she made the excuse she wasn't feeling well and the two left. Ej just smiled as he watched them leave. He knew what he was doing when he asked Jennie to dance, he knew that Samantha would foam at the mouth when she seen them dancing.

She was right, that dance meant as much to her as it did to him and before that night he had never tangoed with anyone else. That was then and always would be their dance. He had even left places when in England because he couldn't even hear it without thinking about her, wearing that green dress as they danced on the pier and her saving her when she fell in the water. It still made him smile when he thought about it.


	6. Before and After

Chapter 6

Samantha left and tried her best not to think about Ej at all as she went to sleep that night, but it didn't work. Every time she closed her eyes she seem him making love to her all over again. She decided to go down and get some tea hoping it would make her feel better. But it only made her feel worse when she realized the only tea she liked was the kind that Ej made for her, the special recipe he shared with her. She sat on a stool and pulled out an old book and inside was the only thing she had left of their time together, a picture taken on the day of her wedding to Austin, the morning she woke up and kissed Ej by mistake.

But that was before, that was when they were friends and there weren't complicated matters that concerned them. He was a racecar driver and she was a women trying to overcome obstacles to finally marry the man she thought was the man of her dreams. Then the letters came and she found out who Ej really was. The day she got that letter saying Ej was a Dimera nearly killed her. She had just come home from a date with him, they were dating, and happy. Austin was gone and Lucas was mad, but Ej stayed, he stayed in her life and always made things better.

Once she got that letter everything changed, she walked away and accepted the proposal Lucas made weeks later, Ej tried to fix things but it was too late he lied to her. He broke the only trust she ever really had in a person, she ruined the only real friendship she ever had. She refused to go back to him and to fight for him to be a part of her life, so she said she'd marry Lucas and he took off for England. The day he left was the day she found out she was pregnant with the twins, she told him just before he left and he never even asked if they were his. They may have only been together once, but Samantha always knew there was always possibility he was their father. She just never cared because he was gone and Lucas was there, why stir up trouble when she didn't think it mattered anyway.

She still wondered what would have happened if Ej had stayed, if he stuck around for the wedding and asked her to run away with him. To leave Salem and never look back, would she have gone? It didn't matter, he never asked and she married the man that did.

Lucas came down looking for her at 3am and she put the picture back in the book and hid it in the drawer. Lucas never even knew she still had it, he thought they got rid of all her connections to Ej when they moved into the house, but he was wrong. She still had it, and she didn't think she would ever get rid of it. The two headed back to bed while Ej was across town working on his bottle of scotch.

Tony eventually took it off him and asked what happened, there was even a mark on Ej's face from where she slapped him.

"What happened to you?"  
"Samantha slapped me, I tangoed with Jennie."

"She slapped you because you danced with someone else?"

"No because I danced with someone else to our song right in front of her. She was really mad, told you she loves me." He said and headed to his room. Tony just looked up at the ceiling.

"Oh dear, what am I going to do with these two. She loves him but won't admit it and he loves her and is all too willing to admit it. They're hopeless." He said and headed to his own room.


	7. She Finally Decides

Chapter 7

The next 6 months were very rocky for Lucas and Samantha. She was more distant then ever and no one could mention Ej's name without her flying off the handle. Ej had been nonexistent in her life since that night at Dune, he had his own concerns, he had his own life to worry about. He was dating the same women, Brandy, for the last 6 months and even asked her to marry him. She didn't realize how much it would hurt until she read it in the paper. He was getting married in Salem, at St. Luke's. Her hometown, and her church, it just felt so wrong. Part of her wished it was her and the other part was happy for him. He would finally be able to move on.

Will was the only one who suspected what it was; he had always known how his mother felt about Ej. He even thought he was an ok guy, but he just didn't want his family to fall apart. Finally he got a chance when his dad went out and his mom was watching the twins in the yard.

"Mom, I got to ask you something."

"Sure honey, what is it."

"Are you in love with Ej again?" He asked, and the words hit Samantha like a rock. She lost her breath and couldn't breathe. Her son, her son was asking her if she loved a man that wasn't his father, wasn't her husband. She didn't know what to say, not only did she not want to hurt his feelings, she didn't know.

"What would give you that idea?"

"I seen your face when you read the paper again this morning. I know that he's getting married in a couple of weeks and I just am wondering if you wish it was you."

"Of course not honey, I love your father." Samantha said, and for the first time knew it was a lie. Did she really love Lucas? Did he even love her anymore? She couldn't remember the last time they made love or he even attempted to touch her. She knew that a part of her would always love Lucas, but what she didn't know was if she was in love with him anymore. But all her thoughts came to a stop when she seen the twins getting too close to the woods. But before she could say anything to them, Will sensed she needed to be alone and handled it for her.

"I'll go get them mom. Just know that I love you and will be behind you no matter what." He said and walked over to the twins. Her son had said he supported her no matter what. She couldn't remember the last time she heard that from anyone, let alone her son. She needed to find out once and for all.

She told Will to watch the twins that she would be back, she headed right to the mansion, but Ej was gone and only Tony was there.

"Damn it, I was hoping he would be here."

"What another rendezvous between the sheets?" He said, Tony was the only one that knew about their affair. "

No, I need to talk to him."

"Oh no you don't! He is just getting over you and moving on I will not let you set him 10 steps back again."

"I don't want to do that, I want to know something." She said and put her hand over her eyes.

"What do you want to know?"

"I'll let you know when I find it, I just know that he has something that will make up my mind for me." She said and stormed upstairs to his room. Tony didn't think to go after her at first, but then he remembered the ring and figured it was still there and went after her but it was too late. She had it in her hands and knew that it wasn't for Brandy. "I was hoping you wouldn't find that." "What is this?"

"That's for him to tell you not me."

"Come on Tony, spill it!" She said and Tony knew there was no stopping her, she would just call Ej and ask him and he figured maybe he could scare her off.

"Well, he bought that going on 7 years ago."

"Back when we were together, he was gonna ask me to marry him, I knew there was a reason he had that special date that I never showed up for. That's why he was so hurt, and then he left for England."

"Ya, he said he tried to get rid of it once, but it just didn't work and he got it back. He just could never seem to get over you." "Then why get married now? If he's still has this ring, then why is he marrying her? He obviously still loves me."

"Oh I know that he loves you Samantha, he will always love you. Told me that himself, but I think he's just tired of being lonely. It gets awfully lonely when you're in love all by yourself. Has to be hard just sitting here at night getting drunk just to stand existence. But here's the question, what are you going to do about it."

"I'm going to stop him, he told me he loved the bad girl in me. He's going to see it first hand." She said and handed Tony the ring before running out of the mansion. Tony just laughed, he knew that if anything, Ej's upcoming wedding was going to be entertaining.


	8. Friendship Survives

Chapter 8

Samantha spent the next week thinking, but ultimately knew she needed to talk to Lucas. She only had a week left before the wedding and had yet to do anything to stop it. If she didn't end her marriage to Lucas, then she would never be able to have a future with Ej. After spending another afternoon walking around Salem Place, she decided it was time to finally have it out with Lucas. She was scared, but she knew it couldn't wait any longer.

"Lucas, you home?" She said as she came in the house and then found him sitting in the kitchen along. "Where are the kids?"

"Will took the girls to a movie. We need to talk." He said and then pulled the book she kept hidden in a drawer from under the counter. The same book she kept Ej's picture in, the same one she didn't think he even knew about.

"You knew about that?"

"Ya and I know that in here holds the picture of the man that you are in love with."

"Lucas, I'm sorry." She said and started to cry.

"Don't be, this time it was not intentional. You never meant for this to happen. Sami, before we were anything, we were friends and that friendship was what made me fall in love with you in the first place. But now, that friendship is gone, that love is gone and most of all the passion that made us, us is gone. You should be with Ej, after everything you have been through, you deserve to be with a man that loves you."

"You mean that?"

"I just want you to be happy, and I know that is what you want for me too."

"There's something you need to know, I had an affair with Ej. It was only twice and it was when he first came back to town but it happened and I am sorry for it."

"You're not sorry, if you were sorry then you would have never told me. But, you did tell me and we both know it meant something to you. Regardless, I already knew. I know when you're not in bed, and the second night alone I got up and followed you. When I found you outside the mansion, I knew what was going on. I knew when I seen him follow you outside at Dune that night."  
"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I saved you once, I couldn't do it again. My saving you caused you to be unhappy for years, I couldn't come to your rescue again. You needed to figure it out on your own this time."

"You are being too nice about this. Here I am telling you I betrayed you and betrayed our marriage and here you are being nice and telling me that you forgive me and understand. I cant handle this. I don't know what to do."

"You accept that our marriage was one of convenience. I needed to get over Carrie and you Ej. It was just easier to go back to comfort, then to go out there and stand alone, stand on our own." He pulled out a letter from his pocket and set it on the table. "Sami, when I got this, I knew what I needed to do." Samantha read the letter and covered her mouth with her hand.

"The twins aren't yours?"

"Apparently you were more pregnant then we thought. Ej is their father not me. I guess a part of me always knew that, I just wasn't ready to admit it. I love those girls Sami, but they deserve to be with their father." Samantha was just speechless, she didn't know what to say, and here Lucas giving her everything she wanted.

"Why is life so complicated?" Samantha said and put her head down on the counter.

"What are you gonna do?"

"Stop his wedding, and then hope he'll marry me instead."

"That's what I thought you would do, but then you would need to sign these first." Lucas said and handed her a stack of divorce papers. "Don't worry, no one knows about them but Mickey."

"But…"

"We both know this marriage is over. You want to be with someone else and I want a woman who loves me like you love Ej. It is time for us to move on, you know that and I know that. Why would we wait until it's too late?"

"Because we're married, and I don't know if we're both thinking clearly enough to end it."

"I am, for the first time I am. Everything is split down the middle, you get the house and custody of the twins, and you promise me that I still get to be in their life."

"I would never take them away from you, I won't repeat the mistakes I made with Will. But isn't there anything you want?"

"My car." He said and the two started to laugh, for the first time in weeks, Samantha and Lucas were laughing and it felt great. They signed the papers and Samantha dropped them off on her way to the Dimera Mansion, she needed to see Tony, she just hoped that Ej wasn't there, that was just something she wasn't ready for yet. If she had any hope of winning Ej back, she needed Tony's help.

"Here for another search?" He said as he opened the door.

"No! I need your help getting Ej back, I can't let him marry her."


	9. I Need Your Help

Chapter 9

Tony allowed Samantha to come in and only when they were in the living room, where she could hide if Ej came in, did he finally figure out what she was really planning. He knew she was capable of stopping a wedding, and he knew that if anyone could do it, she could.

"Then tell him not to. Just tell him you love him and that you know he shouldn't marry her."

"It's not that simple and you know that. I have hurt him more times then I can remember and me calling him to tell him not to marry whatever he name is, is never going to work. I need to prove to him that I'm serious this time. I cant just tell him I love him, I need to prove to him that I love him. I just need you to steal my engagement ring out of his room when he leaves for the wedding and give it to me."  
"Why?"

"Because I just need you to. Come on Tony, you believe in romance and we both know that I can make him happy. She just makes him content."

"That depends, are you going to break his heart again? Because I'm serious when I say that I don't think he can handle it again. I don't think there's enough alcohol in the world to save him again."

"No I won't! It may have taken me forever to get here, but I belong with Ej."

"Fine, only because I know my little brother will be happy. I'll call and tell you when I have it and where to meet me."

"Thank you." Samantha said and headed to the door, but just as she was about to leave he asked her something.

"What if he gets rid of it?"

"He wont, he tried that once, remember?" She said and then left the mansion, all she had to do was wait now, and she had five days until the wedding. Five days until she could be with the man that she loved and knew loved her. She just hoped he wouldn't be too mad at her for crashing his wedding.

In the days before the wedding Samantha helped Lucas pack up his things and move out. They told the children about the divorce and that things were going to change. However, Will was the only one that knew what was going on with his mother. Samantha sat him and down and told him that she was in love with Ej and was going to try and win him back.

"I'm happy for you mom. Seeing you and dad like this is better then when you were married. You are happy and can talk to one another without fighting. I think the divorce is the best thing that could ever happen to us. I just hope that Ej knows what a prize he's getting." He said and then hugged his mother. Samantha hoped the same thing, she didn't know what she would do if Ej decided to marry Brandy instead of her.

Of course she did, she would just have to kidnap him like her Uncle Bo did to get her Aunt Hope. It couldn't be that hard, could it?


	10. Wedding Day

Chapter 10

Salem was extremely busy on the day of Ej's wedding. It was to be an extravagant wedding fit for a queen and Ej didn't spare any expense. He had the wedding he always thought he would have with Samantha and let Brandy have anything she wanted, the flowers from Virginia, and the dress from Paris, even rings from Los Angeles.

However, everyone in Salem was just wondering if he was really going to go through with it. It was no secret to everyone that he loved Samantha Brady, or that she left him high and dry six years ago. But what they didn't know was if Ej was really ready to move on. Could he really move on with this girl? With a blonde that looked like Samantha, but didn't have near the fight she had.

Ej woke up on the day of his wedding and sat on the side of his bed just thinking about what was going to happen that day. He had spent the entire night dreaming about it and every time, Brandy turned into Samantha and he was left waking up to a different reality. His dreams were full of happiness and bliss as he married Samantha, but every time he woke up he knew it was another dream and that it was impossible. He knew what he had to do, he needed to say goodbye, saying goodbye was the only way he could ever move on. He went over to his dresser and pulled out the ring her bought her, he dusted the off the box and opened it, holding his breath for a moment as he had one last thought of putting it on her finger.

"Samantha, you are the only women I have ever loved and will ever love. You are the past and the women I thought would always be in my present and future, but you never wanted that. I guess its really over this time, just know that I'll always be there when you need me. No marriage could ever make me turn my back on. I guess this is really goodbye darling. I always hoped I would marry you but you were never ready for that, and I just couldn't push you. I'll always love you Samantha, always." He said, closed the box and kissed the top before putting it back in his drawer.

Ej knew he could never get rid of the ring, even though he was about to marry someone else, he would always love Samantha. Part of him needed that ring, he thought if he kept the ring, then he always had a hope that she would come back to him.

After putting the ring away he headed to the bathroom, he needed to get ready for his wedding. Samantha was across town busy herself, she had to drop the twins off with Lucas and pick up the last few things she would need before crashing Ej and Brandy's wedding. She met with Tony to get the ring an hour before the wedding and then ran home to change and get herself together, she wanted to look beautiful before she confronted Ej. After putting all the things she needed in the pocket of her jacket she grabbed the picture of her and Ej off the counter and headed to the church.

"I'm gonna win him back, I have to." She said as she pulled up in front of the church and snuck in the back, wanting to wait for just the right moment before walking in and crashing all the dreams Brandy had about marrying her man.


	11. Crashed

Chapter 11

"If there's anyone who knows why these two should not be joined in holy matrimony, let them speak now or forever hold their peace." Father Jansen said and Tony could tell by the look in Ej's eyes that part of him wished someone would. But before anyone could say anything, everyone turned to see the doors opening and Samantha walking in, with a poker face showing she had a plan.

"Ya, me." She said and started up the aisle. "Sorry girl, I know how this feels, but-"  
"What are you doing here?" Ej said as he turned to look at Samantha.

"Stopping you. You know you don't love her, you've said it yourself. I'm the only one for you, the love of your life. Always have been, always will be."

"Not anymore, I'm moving on!"

"Who are you trying to convince, me or you? Because we both know you don't believe that anymore then me."

"Yes I do!"

"No you don't or else you would have thrown me out when you first seen me. You have security here, you would have told them to throw me out on my ass but you didn't. You let me in, into your wedding today and into your heart 7 years ago." Tony just sat there laughing, he knew what Samantha was going to do, but he never knew how she intended to carry out her plans.

"Ej, what's going on?" Brandy said when she noticed Ej had yet to take his eyes off of Samantha. Everyone in the church knew what Samantha was doing, and knew the history she shared with Ej, except for Brandy.

"Uh, nothing." He stammered, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath trying to compose himself, but he couldn't. Samantha was there and she always made him forget what he was saying and stumble like a schoolboy. This time she wasn't going to win, he turned to Brandy, grabbed her hands in his and said "I'm gonna marry you Samantha." As soon as he said it he stopped, and she threw his hands down in anger.

"My name's Brandy!"

"See, you can't even remember her name, how are you going to stay married?"

"Shut up Samantha."

"No! You told me that I was marrying the wrong guy and now I'm telling you you're marrying the wrong girl. She isn't your type Ej! We both know that she can't stop you dead in your tracks, or fight with you like I can."

"What do you want from me?" He said as he loosened his tie, he felt like he couldn't breath anymore.

"To admit what you never made me admit. Your engagement to her, this wedding is all a joke!"

"What?" He said and walked over to her. "This is not a joke Samantha, this is very real."  
"Admit it, your heart only has room for one, for me!" She said and touched his heart with her hand. She could feel it start to race and knew she was getting to him. "You can pretend and you can lie, but we both know you're heart will always be mine. You didn't stop me, but I'm not going to make that mistake. I'm stopping you! You were a coward but I'm not!"  
"I wasn't a coward."

"Oh really, what did you do Ej? Anyone? You ran off to England, you ran away and got drunk. You didn't fight for me, you just took off, well I'm fighting for you."  
"I did fight for you and you told me to get lost."

"Since when does anyone listen to me? I was hurt, of course I told you to leave! But that's the past I want to talk about the present. I just have one question, is it the same ring?" She asked and already knew the answer, but the look on his face told her all she needed to know.

"How did you?" He said and looked over at Tony. "You know what, you infuriate me. You always have to push my buttons and never can let anything go!" He said and raised his hand in the air before walking away from her rubbing his temples, he could feel it, the headache she always gave him when they fought.

"That's not an answer, is it the same ring?"

"No, of course it's not the same ring."

"But you still have it, you still have it don't you?"

"Yes, yes I still have it and I would never give her your ring!" As she walked over to him he tried to get away, but couldn't. There was something keeping him next to her and he didn't know what it was. Brandy just stood up on the altar, alone and speechless, she didn't know what to do.

"So let me get this straight, you are so sure about your marriage to blonde, but you still have my engagement ring? The same ring you bought almost 7 years ago?" She said and could see the pain shoot through his face. She wasn't sure if he was about to submit or she pushed him too far, it didn't matter she needed to prove her point. She needed to make him understand.

"Ej, you don't want to marry her, you wanted someone to stop this wedding and I did. Just tell her you don't want to marry her; we both know you don't want. You want to marry me!" She said and with that grabbed him by his tie and pulled him into a searing kiss, all the passion all the love went between them in the 30 seconds before Brandy came down off the altar and went after Samantha.

"Get off my Fiancé!" She yelled and threw a punch at Samantha, but Ej stepped in front and Samantha just laughed.

"You took the words right out of my mouth." She said and smiled, knowing she won. "Now beat it bimbo," she finished before grabbing the bouquet out of her hands. Brandy just stood there waiting for Ej to say something to choose her over Samantha, but he never did.

"Brandy we need to talk."

"You're taking that tramp over me, aren't you?"

"Don't ever call Samantha that. Ever! But you're right, she's right. She's always right, although I don't know why I'm picking her, she gives me a headache." He paused and continued to rub his temples, it was getting worse. Why did she always have to push him to the brink of a migraine before she would let up? "Brandy,I don't love you, I was just trying to replace her."

"No, you told me you loved me!"  
"He lied, look I tried being nice but you got to go. I have a plane waiting to take us on my honeymoon soon." She said and looked at her watch.

"What?" Ej said, confused at what she was talking about.

"What? I kind of called and changed things, but don't worry Tony knows what's going on." She then pulled out a box from her pocket. "You left this at home." She said and handed it to him.

"You are still scheming."

"And you're still lying! But the bottom line is you love me! You love me despite my schemes and I love you despite the fact that you lie to everyone but me!" She cupped his face in her hand and just stared in his eyes. Ej could see her eyes change from gray to that blue, that same blue they were the night they made love and knew where he belonged. He belonged with Samantha.

"You bitch!" Brandy said and came at Samantha again, but instead Samantha hit her first and laid her out in the aisle.

"You hit her!

"Ya, sorry but she was so annoying! You were replacing me with her?" She asked pointing to Brandy on the floor crying and holding her face. "So what do you say? Want to get married?"

"You're already married."

"Oh yeah, divorced yesterday. See." She said and showed him the finalized divorce papers.

"You planned this? All of this?"

"Well ya. Ej I couldn't just call you and tell you to call off the wedding. I couldn't just tell you that I loved you and couldn't stand to live another day with out you. I needed to show you how much I loved you and that I would do anything to win you back. I owed you that after all I put you through. Now, will you marry me?"

"You're serious?"

"EJ!" She said and as her eyes were headed back to gray he laughed and grabbed her in her arms.

"Yes, yes I'll marry you!" He went to kiss her but she put her finger to his lips instead.

"Not time for that yet." He put her down and laughed, he opened the box and seen what she added, two silver wedding bands, engraved for them. One with "TROUBLE" and one with "PRINCE CHARMING" for the nicknames they once used on one another so long ago. He just laughed and pulled out the engagement ring.

"I know its short notice, but will you marry me?" He said as he got down on one knee and put the ring on her finger.

"Why not, we're already here!" She said and started to laugh. Just then she dropped her coat and revealed a perfect white dress.

"You were so sure."

"Only when it comes to you!" she laughed and the two headed up to the priest. "I think you know my name by now Father Jansen." She said and then continued laughing. It really was a wedding to remember; they said their vows to the sound of Brandy crying on the floor and Tony laughing as he thought about all that happened. She really pulled it off, she got Ej to fall in love with her all over again.

"Samantha, do you promise to love honor and obey Elvis Junior Wells for as long as you both shall live?"

"I can promise on the love and honor, but we all know I don't obey anyone!"

"Ok, Elvis, do you promise to love honor and obey Samantha Gene Brady for as long as you both shall live?"

"Until the day I die!" He said and with that they were married and it sealed it with a kiss. His tie may have not been perfect and her shoes were scuffed from running to make it on time, but it was a perfect wedding. No one knew what to do when it ended, but Samantha knew what to do.

"Sorry but the shows over. Thank you for attending and I'll see you at my next wedding."

"No you wont." He said, scooped her up in his arms and went running out of the church to his car. "This is your last wedding!"

"What if I want to renew our vows when we're 50?"

"I'll probably be dead by then darling, you just might be the death of me." He said and kissed her before driving away. Right as they got a block from the church, he turned to her and asked. "One question for you Samantha, what happened to Lucas and the kids?" Samantha just looked at him and then looked out the window.


	12. Truth Comes to Light

Chapter 12

Samantha didn't answer Ej right away; she wasn't sure what she was supposed to tell him. She couldn't just tell him everything while he was driving, but her silence was driving him crazy. Ej knew Samantha better then she even knew herself, if she was being quiet then there was a reason.

"Why don't we talk about that when we get back to the mansion, lets just enjoy the drive."

"You're scaring me, what aren't you telling me?"

"When you're not driving, don't start fighting with me already. We haven't even been married 20 minutes!" Samantha said and just turned back to the window. Ej floored it the rest of the way to the mansion, he wanted to know exactly what was going on and didn't want to wait any longer. Samantha was hiding something and he knew that it had to do with the wedding. As soon as they walked in, he closed the door and stood there looking at her.

"Alright, out with it!"

"You really are persistent. Fine Lucas and me finally admitted something that has been there for a long time. Our marriage was out of convenience more then anything else. I never wanted to be married to Lucas, it was just easier to go back to something familiar then to deal with losing you on my own."

"There's more, go ahead." He said and headed into the living room to have a seat on the couch. She curled up next to him and continued.

"The love was gone and we both knew it. I didn't have to tell him about the affair, or that I had been hiding this in a book for 6 years." She said and pulled out the creased photo she had left from when they use to be together. "He already knew."

"So he just gave you a divorce, just like that?'

"Basically, we finally are back to the way things were. Before anything ever happened between us, we were best friends. Kind of the way you and me were. It was just easier to talk to him then anyone else and now, finally, we're at that place again. Even Will has realized how happy we have been over the last week."

"Wait, this has been going on for a week?"

"Ya, he's been gradually moving out over the last few days, he's letting me keep the house since the girls love it so much. He was actually routing for us to get back together, he may not like the family you came from, but he knows you make me happy and he said that's what he's always wanted."

"Ok, so you and Lucas came to an understanding, but what about the twins?" He said and that's when Samantha got up and headed over to the desk. She couldn't be next to him when she told him; she was scared of what he would do.

"I should have told you this before the wedding, but everything was just happening so fast."

"Samantha." He said and she knew she needed to tell him. If they were ever going to work then they needed to be honest with one another, always!

"He gave me soul custody; he said they should be with their parents."

"But Lucas is…" Ej stopped; he already knew what she was trying to tell him. The look on her face told him he was right. "Their mine?"

"Ya, apparently my doctor was wrong, about the time I got pregnant with them."

"But…"

"But nothing, that last night we spent together, the night you held me until I fell asleep and everything was so perfect. That was the night they were conceived and not a week later like I thought."

"So you never had a test done?"

"Why, the doctor gave me a date and I knew that was when I was with Lucas."

"You never suspected?"

"Suspected what Ej? Suspected that the love of my life that took off for England, was the father of my kids? That the man who left me after I yelled at him had walked out of my life and now could be the twins' father? Of course I thought about it, part of me even wished it were true, but according to the doctor it was wrong. But then you came back and Lucas knew he needed to know for sure, especially after Alice started talking about racing."

"So they're really mine?"

"Yes, they're yours. You have two beautiful little girls, and I know that you will love them just as much as you love me. But, I did promise Lucas he could still be in their lives, not as their father but still there. He did take care of them for years like they were his own."

"I'm not going to cut out the guy who cared for my children as if they were his own for 5 years!"

"Good, because I know that would be the one thing that could cause a war between us and I don't want that." At this the two met in the middle of the room and Samantha had a look of complete and utter devotion in her eyes, for the man in front of her and for the life she was about to have with him.

"I finally have everything I ever wanted."

"Me too." She said and as the two kissed, he pulled her back on the couch, Ej sat and Samantha curled up under his arm and played with his tie.

"I guess it was a good thing I jumped in after that ring."

"What?"

"I figured Tony told you when he showed you the ring, I went to get rid of it once in Italy. I threw it into a fountain, but the prospect of leaving it there and leaving you behind was too much, so I jumped in and got it back."

"Tony never told me a lot about the ring and you jumped in a fountain?"

"Yep, I always jumped through hoops for you, why not a fountain?" He said with a laugh. "You know, I was a coward when I left, I just couldn't stand you not talking to me."

"I hated that I did that to you, but I just couldn't talk to you then. I was so angry at you for lying to me, that I needed space. I never thought you would really leave, but then you did and I knew I had to keep my promise to marry Lucas, I had no out. I guess I thought you would come and stop my wedding and whisk me away. But you didn't so I just sat and cried at night for days, hoping I didn't wake Lucas."

"I'm sorry I put you through that. But I couldn't stop your wedding, you always had someone stop your weddings and I didn't want to do that. Did you want me to stop it like you stopped mine?"

"Ya, you know I did have another plan."

"Oh really, what was that?"

"The same way my Uncle Bo stopped my Aunt Hope from marry someone else, kidnap you!"  
"He kidnapped her?"

"Yep, stole a cops motorcycle and kidnapped her from the church and sent someone else up the aisle in her dress."

"This family is very special."

"No, we just love with all our hearts and don't let the ones we love get away, even if it makes us look ridiculous."

"Yeah, love makes you do that. But Samantha, if Tony didn't tell you about the ring, then how did you find it?"

"I found it when I searched your room!"  
'You searched my room?"

"Well, I needed answers."

"And searching my room was the only way to get them?"

"Well I couldn't talk to you now could I! And I didn't know how else to find what I needed, but I had a feeling that I would find my answer in your room and I did. When I seen the ring I knew that it couldn't have been for her, the box was too old and then when Tony told me you bought it seven years ago it all made sense. We were both holding on to something that never really ended, I belonged with you, in my past in my present and in my future."

"So when did you get the ring? I looked at it on the day of my wedding, I tried to say goodbye."

"Tony stole it for me after you left and gave it to me. Told you I had help, I knew that if you still had it then you still loved me and I had a chance at making you admit that!"

"I'd always admit that, but you really are trouble."

"You love trouble!" She said and kissed him, with that he decided it was time he finally got to make love to Samantha, not as an affair and not as a goodbye, but as the love of his life and as his wife. He carried her upstairs to the bedroom that he never shared with anyone else. Even the entire time he was with Brandy, he always went to her place, he couldn't bare to have anyone else in the bed he shared with Samantha.

Ej had forgot what it was like to hold her, to wrap her in his arms and know there was no place he'd rather be. For the first time in years, he felt complete and like everything was finally as it was meant to be. In Ej, she found the one thing she was always missing with Austin and with Lucas she found completion, not contentment.


	13. Honeymoon Begins

Chapter 13

Ej and Samantha spent the night in bed; their bodies intertwined with one another and all their thoughts a blur. Waking up that morning left them both speechless and just starring at one another. They couldn't believe I took them years to get to where they once were.

"Since you know more than me, where is our honeymoon?" He asked and played with her hair.

"The place you always wanted to take me all those years ago."

"Italy? But the tickets were from Antigua."

"Slight change of plans, Tony is giving us your father's jet, he figured it would be more comfortable and we could go on our own terms. We do have to be back in a week."

"Lucas has the girls until then and then he asked if I would be back to take them as he wanted to get out of town for a little bit to figure some things out. Plus, I want you to meet you daughters."

"We could just take them with us?"

"Maybe next time, I want you to myself for a couple of days before I share you with them. It's been so long, I think we deserve that."

"Fine, if you insist," he said and then reached for her hand, kissing the top and finishing, "Mrs. Wells." The two just laid there for a minute before decided to get up and get ready for their honeymoon. It took then awhile because neither really wanted to get out of the bed. After packing and finally getting ready, the two headed downstairs to find Samantha's suitcase already by the door.

"Bart brought it in from my car while you were in the shower."

"Trouble!"

"Yes my dear, where you calling me?" She said and just started to laugh before kissing him.

"No more schemes."

"I'll try, but you know I can't promise you anything. I won't change who I am."

"That's fine, just keep me in the schemes, not that there is anything that could ever keep me from you again. But that means no lies, you tell me the truth!"

"Deal, there is no way I'm loosing you again. I can't wait to show you Italy, there is no place like it."

"I'll love anywhere with you." The newlyweds took off in Ej's car, so happy about their finally time together that they never noticed the shadow. Someone was watching them, watching their every move to the car and just as they started to walk out of the shadows, pulled a ticket from their pocket "VENICE, ITALY" they were going after Ej, and he didn't know it.

Whoever it was, they were dressed in a long jacket with a hat and sunglasses, doing their best not to be recognized. They wanted to make sure no one knew who they were or why they were there. Moments after Ej and Samantha pulled away, they walked down the drive to a car and headed to the airport, they had a plane to catch.

Ej and Samantha enjoyed champagne, strawberries and oysters while on the plane. All courteous of Tony, he knew it would help keep the peace when their first argument broke out. It was inevitable that they would argue, a 10-hour flight and so much history and baggage between them, they would need a buffer. Just as Tony had suspected, they argued in the first couple of hours, over something stupid, but something that caused her to start yelling at him to just laugh. He wanted to yell but couldn't, which only made her angrier. But it did show that passion they still had for one another, the passion that was always there and rose with more intensity then ever when they fought.

Ej changed the hotel reservations while she took a nap, he wanted to make sure she had the best of everything. She deserved that, as Samantha Brady and as his wife. His family was well known in Italy and he made sure to use that to get what he wanted. He called an old friend and made sure everything would be taken care of, the villa would be set, the limo at the airport and the romantic setting at the house. In his eyes she was perfect and deserved the world and nothing would stop him from giving it to her.

"This place is gorgeous!" She said as she stepped off the plane and looked around.

"Wait, it only gets better." He whispered in her ear and motioned over to the limo across the landing strip.

"Mr. Wells, so good to see you again." A man said as he put the bags in the trunk and came over to shake Ej's hand, starring Samantha up and down trying to remember where he seen her before.

"Roberto, so good to see you. How's the family?"

"Good, good. The villa is ready for you and I made sure all you asked would be ready for your arrival."

"Thank you, I wanted everything to be perfect for my wife. Roberto, this is Samantha." He said and stood, smile from ear to ear as he presented Samantha as his wife.

"Nice to meet you." She said and went to shake his hand, but he was just looking at her confused.

"Wait, the same Samantha?"

"One in the same, we got married yesterday."

"So you ran away to Italy too when you left me? Interesting, very interesting." She said and headed to the limo, a smile on her face to show she was already planning something.

"I think I got you in trouble, but I'm just so surprise I thought you were marrying someone else."

"That is a long story, but trust me you weren't half as surprised as me when she came and stopped my wedding. But don't worry, I'm not in trouble, she just likes pushing my buttons and rialing me up."

"I see, that explains why she meant so much to you, she was probably the only one to tell you no, huh?"

"Exactly and that is why I love her, despite her schemes and her vindictive nature, she is the love of my life."

"Ej, are you ready?" She said as she stuck her head out of the door and winked at him. "I want to get to the hotel and lay down, guess I'm feeling a little tired from the flight." She said and winked at him and both knew that she was saying. They just looked at one another and Roberto knew they would have to catch up later being as Ej was already getting in the car with his bride.

"Good for him." Roberto said as he closed their door and headed to the villa. It wasn't far, but off on its own and sitting high on a cliff with a view of the ocean. Samantha couldn't believe the view, it was something for a post card. Once they arrived, she got out of the car and ran to the edge of the cliff to see the water, she couldn't remember a time when water looked so clear blue.

"Oh Ej! This is gorgeous." She said when she turned around to find him behind her. "But when? This isn't a hotel."

"Well, it is my father's house and I figured he wouldn't mind. So I called Roberto, he takes care of the place when we're not here for a while and told him to make sure it was perfect for you."

"Really?"

"Ya, it was my grandfathers and he left it to my father. I use to come here when I was little, my grandfather loved this place and spent all his time here before he died."

"I can imagine, the girls will love this if we bring them here one day."

"Not if, when! It will be a family vacation, the five of us."

"Five?"

"Are you forgetting Will? I would never tell him to stay home while I took everyone else her, he is my step son and I do care for the boy."

"You don't know what that means to me. To know that you accept my son into our life."

"Samantha he is apart of you and therefore just another piece to love. You are an amazing mother and I would never hold that against you."

"But is there enough room?"  
'Why don't we find out." He said, but before he could pull her into a kiss like he planned, she was gone and at the front door of the house. Robert just watched from the car and hoped it stayed this way forever. Ej deserved this, he deserved happiness after the life he had and the years he spent without Samantha.

Roberto had been the only friend he had during those years and he knew all that Ej did. That was he was his drinking buddy and his therapist when he needed to talk about Samantha. Especially the first couple weeks, he can't remember a day he was sober that first month. But now, seeing him smile again and with life back in his eyes it was all worth it, he got back the piece of his heart he left in Salem.

As Samantha went through the house, she came across the master suite, their bedroom and found rose petals covering the floor and bed, and a bottle of wine on the nightstand with two glasses. As she got closer to the bed she saw the box and the card on top.

"_Samantha, a gift for you for making me the happiest man in the world. I've waited a long time to give you this, but now is finally the time. I love you and will always be yours, Ej."_

Part of Samantha wanted to cry when she opened the box and found an Italian charm bracelet, filled with moments they spent together up until the time he ran off to England.

"But when? You couldn't have done this after the wedding, they would have taken time to find."

"Yes they would have about 6 years before I had all of them, but that one, the one of the pier was the hardest. I didn't find that until I was about to come back to Salem when I heard of my father's condition."

"You put this together while we were apart?"

"It was like therapy, if I could put all out memories into a bracelet, then I figured I would get them out of my heart. It worked, until I seen you and everything came flooding back, 5 years of work gone when you put your hand on my shoulder at Salem Place."

"But how did it get here?"

"I didn't really run away to England, maybe for a month here and there, but mainly I stayed here with Roberto. He was my friend and the only one I would ever talk to about you. That's why he was so shocked to see you, he didn't think I would ever get you back. He had the bracelet all this time and kept it safe for me. I asked him to put it on the bed and write out that card while you were sleeping."

"Whose scheming now?"

"Me, but it was for a present for you so I figured it would be ok." He said and she pulled him into a kiss and they fell back on the bed after she set the bracelet next to the wine.

"You know, you don't have to court me anymore, you have me. I married you and I am not getting a divorce!"

"That's good because I'd never give you one, but that's not the point. You deserve romance everyday and if you've forgotten what that is, well them I am going to remind you. Each and every day I am going to remind you why you married me and just how much I love you." He went to continue but she kissed him again and starting undoing the buttons of his shirt. "Plus, there is more coming later, but that took a little more finesse." The two made love again and it was like it was the first time, laying in bed for hours and ultimately falling asleep. Ej woke up first and just stared at his bride, she looked amazing, glowing and he was struck by the ring on her finger, and just kept thinking about their wedding. It was finally reality, they were finally married and it was setting in.

"Samantha darling, you better wake up, you're gonna miss dinner." Within moments of him kissing her she woke up smiling and just laughed.

"I was having a good dream."

"Oh really?"

"Ya, we were in Italy and you had taken me out on a yacht and we were just sailing around and we ended up on this little island. It was so romantic and we only had to worry about each other and could just relax and enjoy ourselves."

"I know what we're doing tomorrow." He said with a smirk and the two just laughed before heading down to dinner. She called to check on the girls and then sat down to dinner and just knew she finally had the life she always wanted. The life she always deserved but could never obtain. However, the utter bliss made her guard drop and she didn't notice the little things that would have immediately stuck out in her old life. The tap on the back door or the shadow that moved on the balcony, she was leaving herself vulnerable for the first time and years and she didn't even know it.


	14. She's Gone

Chapter 14

Ej and Samantha were enjoying a nice dinner at the villa on the day of their arrival and everything was perfect. There were flowers on the table that Samantha picked from the grounds and a four star dinner that Ej had cooked by a chef from one of the local restaurants. The house had been in his family for years, going back to his Grandfather. Ej just looked across the table and into Samantha's eyes and couldn't imagine how he lived a day with out her. Those five years away were torture and just now he was realizing what it was like to live again.

"Tell me what my surprise is?" Samantha asked, wondering why Ej kept glancing towards the foyer with every noise.

"It's a surprise, this is one I have been waiting to give to you for a while and I will not let you spoil it. Just be patient, I know you will love it."

"Fine." She said and started pushing around the food on her plate while pouting.

"Don't do that! You know that I give in every time you do that. Please just let me surprise you for once." He said, but he could feel her eyes on him and knew that if she kept this up he would never be able to keep the surprise he had for her. Then finally the doorbell rang and he ran to answer it, he wanted to give it to her, not the delivery guy. But as soon as he opened the door, he didn't find anyone there. "That's strange." He said, looking around to see if there was anyone in the driveway, then he heard it.

Samantha screamed from the kitchen and it pierced his heart. The doorbell had been a set up, he went running through the house and into the kitchen, but she was gone. Her chair was overturned and the food was thrown on the floor. He was in shock and didn't notice the note that was left behind. He just stood there trying to understand what was going on, after a couple of minutes his mind registered the note on the table and picked it up to read it.

_**"IT'S TIME YOU PAY FOR YOUR SINS AND THE SINS YOUR FAMILY HAS COMMITED ON OTHERS. IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO BE THE ONE CRYING!"**_

He read the note again before understanding what it said, he knew he was not a saint and that his family has done horrible things, but that had nothing to do with Samantha. He grabbed for the table to stay upright, he felt like he couldn't breath. After coming to terms with what was happening, he called Roberto, the long time friend of his and of his family. He knew that if he said it was important that he would come running and that was what he needed. When Roberto arrived, he found the kitchen a mess and Ej sitting on the floor on the verge of tears.

"What's the matter? Where's Samantha?"

"Gone, she's gone. I just got her back and now she's gone again!" He kept repeating the word **gone** and Roberto had thought the worst, that she left him like she did all those years ago.

"She left you?"

"No, they took her. They took her because of me!"

"What?"

"They took her." He said again and handed over the note, he had yet to get off the floor, unable to find the strength to move.

"Ej, who would want to hurt you?"

"I don't know but it doesn't matter, I want her back, I need her back and I will get her back if it kills me. I can't lose her again, I won't survive it this time."

"We will find her, do you think we should call anyone?"

"Ya, her parents, as if they don't hate me enough."

"Why would they hate you?"

"Did I mention she's a Brady?" He said and got ready to dial John.

"Oh, that would explain it. Are you sure you want to call them?" He said, knowing of the long-standing vendetta between the families and the war that has been going on for decades. It cannot be good that Samantha married a Dimera and then was kidnapped, and they would never forgive Ej.

"I know they can help and I will do anything to get her back." He said and finally dialed the last number, taking a deep breath and then calling. While on the phone with John, Ej was surprised, he never yelled or told him it was his fault. Just asked what had happened and what he knew, it seemed that John didn't believe it was Ej's fault at all, or at least he never said it. John was thinking that it must have taken a lot of courage to call and he was glad he did, it meant that he knew what was best for Samantha.

"I will tell Marlena and head over as soon as I can, we will find her."

"Thank you, you know I would trade places with her in a minute, I still cant believe she's gone."

"I know, because I would do the same thing for my wife. Stay calm and call me if you hear anything else."

"I will, thank you." He said and hung up. He heard a knock at the door and ran to it, hoping it was news about Samantha. It was only the delivery he expected earlier, the one that was a surprise for his wife. He came back and put the box on the table, just starring at it for a minute before looking at Roberto.

"We have to get her fack, we have kids and she has a family."

"Kids?"

"Ya, twin girls that are five, they're my daughters, our daughters."

"We will find her, think her family will help, I mean now that she married into your family?"

"Ya, they love her and she's not just any Brady, but Marlena and Roman's daughter, John's stepdaughter. They can help!"

"I hope so you don't look too good."

"I just need to now she's ok, even if that means having her entire family scream at me along the way. If she's fine then it will all be worth it." He said and started to rub his temples, there was that headache again, but this time it wasn't her fault, it was because she was in danger and he couldn't handle it. "I just need to know that she's ok. I cannot be the reason they hurt her, they will never forgive me and I will never forgive me."

"Just stay calm, I know you and you have that look in your eyes."

"The Dimera look that frightens people, it never scared Samantha. She would walk right up in my face and put me in my place, but when she looked at me like that, I was scared." He said and a smile crossed his face for the first time. Then he continued, "But your'e right, that look can be scary, it's the only true sign that I am Stephano's son and the heir to the Dimera legacy."

"That's why I'm worried, not as much for you as for the kidnappers."

"Ya, well then they shouldn't have taken my wife!" Ej said and went to think of who would hurt him, but before he could even take a seat his phone was ringing.

"Ej help me."

"Samantha, where are you?"

"I don't know, on a boat."

"I will find you, how are you calling me?"

"My phone, they never checked my pockets before they threw me in the room."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I got a scrap when I was dragged out of the house but I'm ok."

"Good, just leave your phone on, I called John andhe's coming to help. I will find you and I love you."

"I love you too, but I have to go." She said and hung up before he could say another word.

"No, don't go." He said and closed the phone and punched the wall. He had so much anger and nothing to do with it, there was no one to take it out on and he was so upset that he wasn't sure it would be good if there was. He immediately called John to tell him about the phone and hoped it could help them find her.

"I will call someone at the ISA and see if we can trace it, I am about to take off now."

"Ok, I will have you picked up at the airport and brought to my house, who is all coming with you."

"You know, Marlena, Roman, Bo and Hope. The usual gang to save Samantha."

"Great, I will be dead by the time I get my wife back."

"No, hurt yes, but not dead."

"Thanks for the encouragement but it will be worth it if she's ok." He said and they hung up, John got a hold of Shane at the ISA and within an hour he had a trace on her phone, but it was fuzzy and they needed more time before it would be clear. When everyone arrived in the morning, Ej had yet to get off the kitchen floor, he sat there all night starring at the note, trying to understand what was going on.

"He's pretty messed up just so you know and he hasn't moved all night. He just sits and stares at his phone hoping she'll get a chance to call him back. I know you hate him, but he really loves her." Roberto said as he showed them into the house. Everyone was angry with him except for Hope, she couldn't help but feel sympathy for him, he was destroyed and on the floor, not his usual smart ass of a self she was use to.

"We will find her." She said as she put her hand on his shoulder, hoping it would remove some of the pain from his eyes.

"We have to, her kids need her and her family needs her. I need her!" He said and got up to give John the note, Roman and Bo just kept staring him down while Marlena stayed in the background.

"She call you again?"

"No, I've been afraid to call thinking someone might find the phone and hurt her."

"That's probably a good idea, the signal is getting clearer, got a boat?"

"Ya, down at the harbor waiting for us. Your last call mentioned water, I figured just in case." He said and tore at his tie from the previous night.

Everyone headed to the harbor and followed the signal, but it was no use, as soon as they got close it would keep moving. They finally thought they were closing in when they seen an island, Ej took one look at it and got real right.

"Wait a second, I know that island. My grandfather use to bring flowers here when I was a kid, he never told me why but got really sad when he did it." He stared at the island, just trying to remember more.

"What was it called?" Marlena asked, knowing it had to do with her missing daughter, no matter how much it upset her to think about it.

"I don't know, he only ever called it **Anam Cara**."

"That's not the name of an island, it's a lot more then that." Hope said, knowing she heard it somewhere else.

"That sounds like something I heard dad say." Bo said looking at Roman hoping he would be able to fill in what he was forgetting.

"Ya it does, I think he said it to mom." Roman said and then called his father, hoping to clarify the situation.

"Pop, what does **Anam Cara** mean?"

"Why?"

"Just tell me."

"Soul mate, you heard me say it to your mum. What is this about?"

"Samantha's missing and there seems to be a connection to an island Ej's grandfather use to go to and he called it **Anam Cara**."

"It was said in Ireland when I was a kid, did you find her yet?"

"No, we'll let you know when we find anything out, thanks pop." Roman said and then hung up and looked at Ej.

"I think it's time I called my father, he has to know something." Ej said and went below deck to hear better.

"Ej, what's going on, shouldn't you be on your honeymoon?"

"Samantha's been kidnapped, I thought Roberto called to tell you?"

"No, what do you mean kidnapped!"  
"Last night when we were having dinner, but I think it has something to do with our grandfather."

"Santo?"

"Ya, remember him going to an island off the coast of Italy."

"He use to take flowers, but I never knew why. Stephano does though, I asked him once and he said he couldn't talk about it."

"Well he's going to talk now, it has something to do with Samantha being missing and I will not let her die because he's stubborn."

"All I know is that it has something to do with a girl, I got that much out of him once."

"Wait, wouldn't' he have been married?"

"Ya, he had an affair!"

"Find anything from Santo I will need it if I'm going to get my wife back."

"I will do the best I can, but you know our father is stubborn."

"Ya, put him on the phone."

"He's pretty upset with you for getting married to Samantha and taking off when he's sick, I doubt he will talk to you."

"She's my wife put him on the phone NOW!" He yelled just as Hope came down to check on things. "Sorry Hope, I wasn't yelling at you, just dealing with my family, my father is going to tell me what I need to know." Ej said and then went back to the phone.

"Elvis, what's the matter?"

"I need to know about **Anam Cara**, your father use to go there, why?"

"There's nothing to tell."

"Father, Samantha is missing and I have a feeling it has something to do with this island, now tell me what I need to know, or so help me I will put you in a casket! Illness will not kill you."

"What does the island have to do with Samantha?"

"I'm not sure, but I neeed to know all there is about it in order to figure out why someone would take her. Don't make me have to come home, trust me it will only be worse for you."

"Elvis, you are finally sounding like a Dimera." Stephano said with a chuckle.

"You don't want to see how much of a Dimera I can be, trust me! I want my wife back." He said and there was no laughing in his voice. Stephano hung up and Ej knew he knew more then he was letting on. He immediately called Tony back.

"What happened?"

"I'm coming back home to deal with him and to find my wife! He is the only way to find her and he will tell me what I need to know."

"Are you sure you should come home?"

"Face to face is the only way I will ever get him to tell me what I need to know."

"Stay there Ej, you are needed there, I will find anything connected to Santo and will put Stephano on the jet and we will come there. I called the pilot and he already left for home this morning. So within a couple of hours he should be here and we'll be ready to leave. Just stay calm." Tony said and hung up, but Ej wasn't feeling calm. Instead he walked over and punched the wall.

"Now I see why she married you."

"What do you mean?"

"You love her, but more then that you need her and therefore will give up everything for her."

"I need her more then she will ever know. But I do have a question; did Bo really kidnap you from a wedding? Because apparently that was her plan b if stopping the wedding didn't work." Hope just smiled and nodded.

"Wearing a leather jacket on a police motorcycle. I kept punching him while he tried to drive and then ran away from him when we finally got off the bike. Actually, you and Sami are a lot like me and Bo were."

"What do you mean?"  
'Well, you and Bo are both head strong and tend to do things without always thinking them through, me and Sami, well we think with our hearts and will do anything to get the guy we love. She stopped your wedding; I manipulated Bo into a weekend with Shawn when he was getting ready to marry Billie. See, she pushed your buttons and it makes you completely crazy, and there are times when you just want to strangle her. But, at the same time you cant imagine a day without her, your life is better with her in it."

"That's about it, she makes me feel whole."

"Ej, if Samantha is the one that makes you feel complete, then why marry someone else?"

"I was just tired of being lonely, and I did care about Brandy. I just figured that maybe I would grow to love her."

"I guess that makes since, but once we find her you know she is going to be pushing your buttons more then ever."

"I will be more then happy to have her yell at me and tell me I'm an idiot or coward, as long as she's home safe."

"She will be, Samantha is a fighter and she won't go down without a fight."

"That is true, she always stood up to me, thank you Hope."

"No problem, you're family now."


	15. Haunting History

Chapter 15

Hope and Ej went back on the deck and told everyone what was going on with Stephano and Tony. Marlena was shocked that Ej choose Samantha over his father, but no one else was. They figured it was all an act and that any moment he would go back to his Dimera ways and leave Samantha behind. Hope was already on his side and Marlena was heading there, this mission to find Samantha just might give her the faith in him she needed to accept him into the family.

"Look, I know that none of you trust me and that's fine. But you have to believe I love her. I wouldn't fake that and I will do anything to get her back." Ej said, hoping that it might put a little bit of faith in them when it came to him, but it only made Roman angry. Roman went over to Ej and punched him right in the mouth.

"Don't tell me you love my daughter when you put her in harms way by getting her kidnapped the same day you take her away from her family."

"Roman, now that's enough. Whether you like it or not that is Sami's husband and you need to come to terms with that. You know your daughter and you know that she is going to do what she wants to make herself happy and that is Ej. I get that now and I will not have you trashing him when he is already in enough pain worrying about his wife. Roman, you may be for the most part straight laced but your brother is far from it and so is John. Now he is sorry for what he's done in the past and I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. We've forgiven Sami, now its time to forgive her husband."

"Thanks Hope but he's right. I don't deserve it. I screwed that up lying about who I was and why I was here. But, I could care less what any of them has to say. You can hit me and curse me for marrying Samantha but it will not make me love her any less. You can put me through anything you like because you can never make me feel as bad as I do now. I blame myself for what happened and that pain takes overrides anything you might say. It will always be my fault that she was taken and that is something I have to live with." He said and walked to the back of the boat, just wanting to remember more about he island and figure out a way to get his wife back.

John broke the silence that crept on the boat when he noticed the signal was lost. Everyone started to panic and Ej was the worst. He felt as if his heart sank and he had nothing left. She was gone and his hope for finding her was gone now. He had no clue where she was or how to find her. Then his phone rang and he hoped for good news.

"Wells"

"Clever telling her to keep her phone on."

"You want me, let her go and take me." Ej pleaded with the man on the other end of the phone but it was no use.

"This isn't about you, this is bigger then you."

"It's about my grandfather."

"Yes it is, ask Stephano. He'll know what it takes to get your wife back. Only he holds the key."

"Ask him about what? What do you want? I will give you anything just name your price. Just give her back to me."

"48 hours, you have 48 hours and then she dies." The voice said and then Samantha's voice came on the phone.

"The gloved hand!" She said and he knew she was trying to tell him something but he didn't get a chance to ask before she hung up.

"No Samantha wait." He said, but she was already gone.

"What did she say?" Marlena asked, and Ej told her but everyone looked at one another confused. But after a couple of minutes Ej grabbed for his phone.

"Tony, did you find any letters?"

"I found a chest with Santo's initials on it, I think there are some in there. I'm bring it over with us.

"Where's father?"

"Right here." Tony said and put Stephano on the phone.

"Tell me about the letters."

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't." He said and hung up the phone. This time Ej threw his phone across the boat and went back down below deck, he knew he was going to loose it and he didn't want to do that in front of her family.

Tony called Marlena when Ej didn't answer and Marlena was more scared then every. They not only didn't know where her daughter was, but it had something to do with Stephano.

"What is going on?"

"I don't know, Sami being gone has something to do with letters and your Grandfather, but Stephano won't tell us what we need to know and we only have 48 hours."

"Well the jet just arrived and we're getting on board now so we should be there early in the morning. I am bringing Stephano with me, if I have to drug him and put him on the plane."

"You are getting too much enjoyment out of hurting your father."

"It's about time he hurt for once, he has spent so much time hurting everyone else."

"Regardless, thank you Tony."

"You're welcome, you know I have always thought of you as a dear friend and I would do anything to help find your daughter, especially since it's my family's fault."

With that the two hung up and no one went near Ej until they were docked and about to head back to the villa. Roberto had taken care of getting all the rooms ready, he didn't want Ej to have to worry about anything. He had the kitchen cleaned up and never went near the bedroom that had Samantha's things in it. He figured it would just make him angrier and that was the last thing he needed.

"Let me know when my family arrives and if there's any news." Ej told Roberto and then went to his room. He sat on the floor next to the door, just staring at the bed, rose petals still there and the empty bottle of wine. He could smell her perfume and seen her clothes thrown over the chair. He just stared at the bed he stared with her 24 hours before and couldn't get the image out of his head. Her laying there, wrapped in the sheets and arms wrapped around him, telling him how much she loved him and how they would never be apart again.

"What have I done? I knew marrying you could put you in danger, I should have stayed away. If we had stayed apart then you wouldn't be in danger. It's all my fault." He said as a tear rolled down his cheek. After a couple of hours Hope went to check on him and sat next to him on the floor. She waited until he spoke before saying a word, she didn't want to push him or make him feel uncomfortable, she just wanted to make sure he was ok.

"John's trying to track the signal again, but the phone is dying so the signal isn't strong."

"It's just punishment for what I've done in the past. I should have known her marrying me was too good to be true. You know, I am so sorry for what my family has done to you and to John. I never understood pain until now. It has only been a day and I already feel as if a part of me is dying."

"That's what happens when you are loosing someone you love or are away from them against your own wishes. It's the same way any of us felt when we were taken away from our families."

"I can promise you that will never happen again. I will destroy my father for this." He said and got up for the first time, only to throw his jacket on the bed. "He will help us, I can assure you that. I just need to see him face to face."

"He's stubborn, we both know that."

"But I am more stubborn, especially when my Dimera streak comes out. It doesn't often, I try not to because bad things happen, but I have to if I intend to get what I need out of him. Well except for Samantha, she is the only one that makes my stubbornness disappear, she always use to get the best of me." He said and sat back down on the floor next to Hope. He pulled off his wedding band and stared at it.

"You know what she had engraved in our wedding bands?"

"The wedding went a little fast, I just seen the engagement ring."

"Prince Charming, back when we were friends, before she knew who I was. She use to say that I was her prince charming, because I seemed to always be there when she needed me. That I understood her better then anyone else and always could figure out her schemes."

"I could see that, just like you understood what she meant about the blacked glove."

"That was easy, but the funny thing is what her band says, Trouble. I always told her she was trouble when she did, well anything. But she knew that I meant it as a joke and I would always tell her that I loved trouble!"


	16. Stephano Arrives

Chapter 16

Ej and Hope talked for another hour before she left him to try and get some sleep. She knew that he was exhausted and would fall asleep if left alone. But it wasn't as easy for him to calm as it was for Hope. He just couldn't quit thinking about where Samantha was and what they were doing to her. He tried to lay in bed, but all he could smell was her perfume and it made him feel worse, he eventually retreated to the floor and passed out around 6.

Ej woke up to Tony standing over him, and was confused as to what was going on. He was dreaming about Samantha and the honeymoon he wanted to give her like nothing was wrong. But when he seen Tony's face he knew it was just a dream and she was still gone.

"Stephano's downstairs, but he isn't really in a talking mood." Tony said and Ej started to get up off the floor.

"He will be." Ej said and headed out of the room.

"Why didn't you sleep on the bed?" Tony asked, confused as why his brother was leaning against the wall on the other side of the room. Ej just dusted himself off and opened the door.

"Her perfume." Was the only answer he gave before heading downstairs to where Stephano was. Tony hadn't even noticed it, but once Ej pointed it out he could smell the faintest aroma of perfume. He just shook his head and followed his brother downstairs, he knew if anything the talk between Stephano and Ej would be eventful.

"Elvis my son, you look horrible."

"Yes father, sorry if I didn't shave and put myself together, my wife is missing. This is what happens when you take people away from the people that love them. Now, tell me about **Anam Cara**."

"I told you on the phone I cant! I'm sorry." He said and turned to look at the floor.

Marlena was on the verge of tears and Roman was trying to calm her, but John was headed right for Stephano. But before he could do anything Ej was there in his face.

"No father, that is not an option. Now tell me what I need to know to get Samantha back!" When his father refused again, he threw the tray next to him across the table and got a look in his eyes that even scared Stephano.

"Think we should help him?" Bo asked, looking at Stephano with fear in his eyes for the first time.

"Naw, Ej seems to have this handled." John said, enjoying the show.

"I was talking about Stephano, I really think he's scared." Bo said and the two laughed, but Hope shot them a look that made them stop.

"You wanted a Dimera, well you got one and there is no one in this room that knows what I am capable more than you. Now, tell me about Santo!"

"I can't I'm sorry. I really am Elvis, I wish I could help you find Samantha but I cant." He said and started to cough.

"Still dying father?" Ej said grabbing at his arm to keep him stationary.

"Elvis, you know that I am recovering, I told you I wasn't ready to die."  
"You better get ready then old man because if I loose Samantha, I can guarantee you that you wont live out the week!" Stephano began to smile and everyone was confused but Tony.

"Elvis, you really are my son!" he said and hugged him, then handed over a key. He pointed to the trunk on the floor and then asked for some water. "My father, Santo had an affair when I was very young, he was in town and met the woman he described as the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was from Ireland and in Italy to try and make some money for her family. Her name was Colleen Brady." He said and handed a picture to Ej.

"Please, there is no Colleen in our family, I think I would know." Bo said as he looked at Roman. But they both went speechless when they seen the picture.

"That's the spitting image of Samantha!" Ej said and rooted through the box for another, thinking it must be a joke of his fathers. He found a picture of her with his grandfather, who looked just like him.

"Why didn't you tell me I looked like Santo?" Ej asked, handing the pictures to John and Marlena. With the pictures were letters, dozen sent between the two probably telling of their entire romance and how it ended. The box contained their entire relationships, gifts between the two, photographs and the letters. At the bottom was a ring, he guessed the ring that he intended to give Colleen when he found the last letter, one written to say goodbye.

"I see where you get it from." Tony said, noting the ring and the goodbye letter. Ej just looked at him and was in shock, what did this have to do with Samantha? Ej started to scan the letters Stephano translated them from Italian to English, under the watchful eye of Ej making sure he wasn't lying to Samantha's family. Then, in the last letter he knew where she would be.

_Dear Colleen, _

_I have missed you these past few weeks. It has been torture not being able to see you, when are you coming back to the village? Please say soon, these letters just aren't the same as seeing you and hearing your voice. I have something for you, I have something to ask you and I need to see you in person to tell you. Meet me at the harbor and I will take you away where we can finally be together without the fear of being caught. 7 o'clock on Saturday, please._

The following letter was after they met and told him where he could find Samantha; it was the only thing that made sense.

_Dear Santo,_

_Seeing you hiding in the shadows of the harbor was hard to see. I wanted to run into your arms and never leave but I knew I couldn't do that to you. Your wife might catch us and I knew that would only make things worse. It was bad enough when your son caught us. But when we finally got to the island and I seen the proposal you made on the tree, I knew it was worth it. All the sneaking around and all the fear of someone finding out, you asking me to marry you was the best thing you could have ever given me._

Ej stopped reading the letter and looked at his father. He needed to know how things ended.

"Father, you caught them?"

"No, my brother did when he went to find him. Ma was sick and he was sent to find his father, but he found him with his arms wrapped around Colleen and told Ma. That's how she found out and that's when she looked for the letters."

"Wait, you have a brother?" Tony asked, not even he knew he had an uncle.

"Ya, I haven't seen or spoken to him since the day father took me away. Santo hated him for what he did, see my brother is the reason that Colleen died."

"What do you mean your brother was too blame?" Ej said, but before he could get an answer his phone was ringing. It was Samantha's number.

"Samantha?" He asked, hoping she got away and he could rescue her.

"Wrong, but have you figured it out yet." Stephano took the phone off Ej and knew it was his brother.

"Silvio, it has been a long time." He said and the guy on the other end laughed.

"Brother, it has been a long time. You know what I want don't you?"

"Yes, I always knew that you would one day want to hurt me for dad leaving you behind when he took me."

"I never was able to find him before he died, but you on the other hand were easy to find and that son of yours. He is the spitting image of our father."

"Yes he is and he makes a father proud, but what does his wife have to do with this vendetta you have against me?"

"You know very well what she has to do with this, she is the reason our family was broken up, her great aunt is and you know that."

"Samantha is a lot of things, but she isn't her aunt. Now, why don't you let her go and me and you can settle this ourselves."

"That's impossible, I am not going to let your son and her live happily ever after. You have destroyed lives for worse reasons, I promised mother." He said and then Ej grabbed the phone.

"Fine, punish me! You want someone to suffer, I'm the one you hate, you hate Santo and I look like him. So take me and let her go!" He said and Silvio thought it over for a minute that was what he wanted all along.

"Deal, you know where to meet me. I'm sure you have figured it out by now, come there with Stephano and she is yours!" He said, and Ej heard Samantha in the background. "Don't worry, she's still alive, you have 1 hour!" He said and then hung up. Ej grabbed the last letter and his jacket before heading over to Stephano.

"We're going for a little trip." He said and went to leave the house, but John stopped him.

"What are you doing?"

"Trading places with her, it's the only way to have her come home safe, you know where the island is, make sure you're close by to get her. She isn't going to be too happy with me." He said and went to leave but Stephano sat back down.

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh yes you are, for some reason he wants to see you and then I can have my wife back. I am sacrificing myself to your brother because of a grudge between you two. The least you can do is come with me, you are my father!" He said and Stephano could see the Dimera streak rising and knew he had no choice but to go. Once they were gone, John waited a couple of minutes before getting ready to follow them.

"He's really going to sacrifice himself for Samantha." John said looking at Roman and Marlena.

"Maybe he does love her." Marlena said and Hope just smiled.

"Finally you guys are going to admit it! We can't let him do this though, Sami wont be able to recover from it."

"She doesn't have a choice, it's her life of his." Bo said, while looking at Hope.

"And you would always save me from getting hurt, but you know that I would not let you without a fight. Think of how much fight Samantha has in her?" Hope said and everyone knew they needed to go to make sure everything went alright.


	17. Rescue Me

Chapter 17

Ej went to the harbor and got a boat, he left the other one for John and everyone else knowing that Samantha would need to get away from the island. On the half hour journey to the island he sat and wrote a letter to Samantha saying goodbye and explaining what he had to do and why. He slipped the note in his pocket and then got ready for the fight of his life. He seen John's boat getting closer and needed to give them something before he left.

"Hope, make sure Samantha gets this. But don't give it to her until she asks for it, trust me." Inside the letter was a picture of Santo and Colleen with a quote on it. He knew it would help her understand. With that, he sped away for the island and everyone was speechless. They couldn't believe he was really do this, a Dimera sacrificing himself for a Brady, surely nothing ever done before.

"Elvis, lets go back, you don't need to do this. She's not worth it." Stephano went on, trying to get him to go back and leave Samantha to die on the island.

"The only thing keeping you on this boat is that I need you to save my wife. If not, you would have been thrown over a long time ago. And as far as Samantha is concerned, I need her! She is everything to me, she is my life. Can't you see that? Can't you see that without her I wouldn't really be alive anyway? Look, I can't loose her, our daughters can't loose her." He said and turned back to looking at the island.

"Daughters? Elvis you don't have children."

"Ya, I have twin girls. We just found out they were mine the day we got married. They don't even know yet and that is why I have to do this, they can live without a father they never knew but they can't live without a mother they've known their entire life."

"You are really going to do this?"

"Yes father, I value family more then anything. Samantha is my family and therefore I will do anything to save her. Even if that means sending myself to death." HE said and docked the boat on the edge of the island.

When he started to get off the island he seen a shoe by a tree and knew it was Samantha's. There was a bath already carved out from years of use and he knew it must be the one his grandfather took. As he pushed Stephano in front of him he headed to the tree he could see had an engraving, the one from the letter and the one that held Samantha beneath it.

He found Samantha underneath the true with a bruise on her head and unconscious. He grabbed her in his arms and tried to get her to wake up, at least she was breathing, she was alive and he made it in time.

"What did you do to my wife?" He screamed, knowing his uncle couldn't be far away.

"She's got a lot of fight in her, I'll give her that. She's just like Colleen, Irish temper and feisty as all get. I can see why she has you so mesmerized, completely willing to give up everything for her. But, that doesn't make it right." He said and appeared from behind a couple of trees. Ej could see the black eye and knew that it was from Samantha.

"You forgot to mention her right hook." He said with a smirk and then went back to coaxing Samantha back to consciousness. Stephano went to step to his brother when Silvio pulled out a gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you. But you do give me an idea, I think I will just kill both of them, that way Santo and Colleen can die all over again."

"No, leave them alone, you're angry with me. Let them go." He said and this time had a tone in his voice that meant he was serious.

"Wow little brother, you do have some family pride. But, lets see how much your son has." HE said and put the gun to Stephano's head. "Choose, your father or your wife."

Ej just looked at him and smiled, knowing there was no comparison. However, Stephano was scared, he knew that smirk and knew it meant bad new for him.

"Elvis, tell him you choose your father. You can always get another wife but you can't get another father."

"I cant, I wont choose my family over Samantha, not again. This family is the reason I spent years away from her. Years wishing I had done everything different and that I wasn't a part of this family. So n, I don't choose you. I choose Samantha today and everyday. She is my wife and she means more to me then this family ever could." He said and picked her up in his arms.

"Now, I have a boat waiting for her. You want to kill me fine, but she goes first and then you can do what you wish to me." He said and started to carry her to the boat. "Well aren't you going to follow me? Not that I'd run, but I know we Dimera's have trust issues." He said and carried his wife to the boat he had waiting. He placed her inside and covered her with his jacket.

"It's almost romantic, if you weren't getting ready to die." Silvio said and Ej paid him no attention, he wanted to say goodbye to his wife.

"Darling, Hope has something for you. When you're ready she'll give it to you," he started and then kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this. I hope you understand. I love you." He finished and then pushed the boat out into the tide, knowing John would be out there to get her. He knew she wasn't fully conscious but that she could hear him.

"**Amor vincit omnia**." He said and he knew she heard him, she just hoped she would understand what he was trying to say. The letter would explain and he just hoped for once, she listened to him. "Goodbye Samantha." He said and looked down at his wedding ring, then wiped the tear that was falling down his cheek. He took a deep breath then turned around, knowing things were only going to get worse for him.


	18. Sacrifices

Chapter 18

John had the boat with in view of the island, but far enough away as not to disturb Ej from saving Samantha. When he seen Ej's boat just bobbing in the waves he went over to see if Samantha was in it. There she was barely conscious and confused. John pulled her onto his boat and everyone crowded around her to make sure she was ok.

"Where's Ej?" She asked, she remembered seeing him a couple minutes ago but was confused on what was going on.

"Honey, he saved you. He just…" Hope started but she knew she couldn't tell Samantha yet, she needed to make sure she stayed calm to get her head looked at.

"He's here, he put me in the boat. He was just telling me something." She said as she sat up and realized his jacket was over her. She tried to sit up but her mother had to help her. Immediately they decided to take her to the hospital figuring they could tell her about what was going on when she was in a better mind.

Samantha put up a fight but they finally got her checked out and then headed back to the villa. Hope still had the letter but she knew Ej was right, it wasn't time to give it to her yet, she needed to understand what was going on first.

"Where are Stephano and Ej?" Tony asked when he seen everyone come in with Samantha, who had a bandage on her head.

"That's what I keep asking." Samantha said and started to hold her head, she was getting a headache. "Please, tell me where my husband is."

"She doesn't remember?" Tony asked, confused as to why Samantha was so clueless on what was going on.

"Apparently that hit on the head was more damaging then we thought, she doesn't remember anything, and just that he put her the boat." Bo said, and Hope just looked at Samantha and thought she would give her a clue, just hoping she would ask for the letter.

"Sami, are you cold? You look like you're shivering."

"Wait," she started, trying to remember what Ej said and then it hit her. "Where is it?" She said and went to run for the stairs.

"Where is what?" Marlena said as she ran after her daughter.

"The letter, where is the letter? I know he left me one." She said and looked over at Hope as she pulled an envelope out of her pocket.

"Here Sami, he told me to wait until you asked for it." She said and handed it over, she wanted to be alone and Sami ran upstairs to read it in peace while everyone else tried to figure out what was going on.

"What are we going to do?" Tony asked, looking around the room at a bunch of blank faces.

"I don't know, I mean if we go after them on the island it could only make things worse." John said as he sat down on the couch.

"I think you're right, but we both know that Samantha is not just going to let him die on the island." Tony said, and with that Samantha came down the steps, clutching the letter in her hand and crying.

"Samantha, what is it?" Hope said as she ran over to her.

"He's going to die because of me." She said and almost fell down the stars. "I can't let him do that. I won't let him." She said and headed to the door still wearing his coat.

"Honey you can't, you don't know what you're getting yourself into." Roman said as he walked up to her, but she just pushed him away.

"Of course you would say that, you hate him, you all hate him."

"This is his choice, he made the choice to save you over himself." Bo said and handed her some water.

"I don't care, I need to go after him. He needs me and I wont abandon him now. You wouldn't leave Aunt Hope and John you wouldn't leave mom and you know it!"

"Samantha," Marlena yelled, but Samantha just cut her off.

"Don't call me that, he is the only one who ever calls me that. Now I'm going with or without you." However before she got to the door Tony grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"I can't let you do that. I promised him to keep you safe and you running after him is the exact opposite."

"I know, he told me to stay away, I know he is just trying to protect me but who is going to protect him? I can't loose him, there has to be another way." Hope once again was the only one that went up to her, she could help, and was the only one nice to Ej.

"We talked while you were gone, he was so worried about you. He told me you were everything to him and that being away from you was so hard. But, that when you walked back into his life he felt whole for the first time in years."

"I do too and that's why I cant loose him. Walking away in January was so hard, I cant do it again."

"Wait, what do you mean January?"

"Ya, when he first came back to Salem. We had an affair, and it ended quickly because I knew I couldn't do that to my family. He told me I was everything to him and that he loved me and I just walked away. I told him I felt nothing and that I never would. I lied Aunt Hope, I loved him then and I walked away. She cried and Tony was the only one not shocked, he knew bout the affair and what happened between them. Marlena just looked disapprovingly at them and was already casting judgment on her daughter.

"Samantha, Ej loves you more than anything. You know that, your love like that of Colleen and Santo is meant to be, separation now death can end it. Remember, Amor vincit omnia." He said and handed her a picture of her and Ej.

"What did you say?" She asked and looked at the picture, "Wait, that's what he said to me when he put me in the boat. What does it mean though?" She said and went back to holding her head. She couldn't even think with the headache she now had.

"Love conquers all." Roberto said as he came from the kitchen. "When he first came here when you got married, he was rummaging through the house just trying to keep busy and found that picture of Santo and Colleen, he didn't know who they were but said it reminded him of how you were and then seen the inscription on the back. He kept it in his room ever since, hoping it meant he would find his way back to you." She pulled the same picture out of the letter and turned it over to find the inscription. She just laughed and smiled for the first time.

"What?" Bo asked, noting the smile and Hope now had one too.

"He's coming back, he's not dead. I would know if he's dead and that means he'll find a way back to me. He won't leave me or our family." She said and walked over to John and melted in his arms crying.

"Please take me back, please." She said and just cried, hoping he would oblige.

John just looked over at Marlena that was completely against it then to Bo and Hope who he knew would follow him. He didn't know how to go with, his stepdaughter who was crying on his shoulder, or his wife who wanted to keep Sami out of harms way.


	19. She Wont Give Up

Chapter 19

Back on the island, Ej and Stephano were still being held at gunpoint and were back in front of the tree where he found Samantha. Silvio was pointing the gun at them and rambling away about how he had been planning this for years and actually intended to kidnap Brandy after the wedding, but when the wedding changed so did his plans.

"I just don't think they would have been as affective, you don't seem to love that girl as much as Samantha. Your precious Samantha, was it really worth giving up yourself for her?" He asked and pointed the gun at his heart.

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat, regardless, if she were dead I would be too. At least now she can live."

"So romantic, you are more like Santo then I ever imagined. The way you talk of love that it will conquer everything and will get someone through the worst. That love is worth giving up everything for. So foolish! Family is the one thing that will get you through everything and anything and that is what you should rely on."

"Wouldn't my wife count as family? The woman who I intended to spend the rest of my life with."

"Over your father and grandfather? No she doesn't count above them."

"Then kill me, but don't sit here and patronize me with your nonsense of me not loving my family. I have lost everything because of this family, I love my entire life and I will not sacrifice that again for anyone!" Ej said and walked right up in Silvio's face.

"You have guts, I will give you that! You submit to no one."

"That's right so do it already. Either kill me or let me go but make a choice." He said and got closer to his face. As Silvio was focused on Ej, Stephano went up behind him and hit him, causing him to drop the gun and fall to the ground. Silvio grabbed for it and pointed it at Stephano."Fine, shoot me. I'm the real reason you're mad. Don't make a father watch his son die." Silvio walked up to his Stephano and thought about what his brother said.

"That is true, you're the reason I did al this."

"But why?" Ej said, still not fully understanding what was going on.

"Santo took me away and left Silvio with our mother. He has always hated me for that, haven't you?"

"Why wouldn't I hate you? You got the good life while I was stuck with our mother who had nervous breakdown, then committed suicide because her husband and youngest son were gone."

"You caused this, it is your fault he left you behind. You had to tell mom about Colleen, he would have taken you with us if you didn't ruin what he had with her. You were the reason our father lost his mind and went insane. He spent the rest of his life alone and in agony over something you did. You were the reason mom went after Colleen, you and you alone. You told her about them in town, and I know you were the one that showed her the letters."

"So what if I did, father never should have been having an affair." Silvio said and became angrier at the mention of his father.

"Enough let the past be the past. What is killing my son going to do? What make me suffer for what our father did? How is that going to change anything, just let it go already! It has been 50 years and you are still fighting with this."

"You are fighting with the Brady's, the same family from which Colleen was from, one our father was so in love with? Explain that one."  
"That doesn't matter, that vendetta is over. My son has married her and only God knows why. But that insures them protection, I will not go after them because I know the pain it will cause my son."

"Well thank you father, but that still doesn't help us here. The war ends regardless, we are here and that only leaves Tony who won't attack the family."

"Aw, how sweet. Lets get back to murder!" He said and went to shoot Ej, but he grabbed for his arm and Silvio shot in the air. The two started to struggle and the gun went off, shooting Ej and making him fall to the ground. The gun went flying and Stephano grabbed it and pointed it at Silvio.

"You wouldn't kill your own brother?"

"Of course I would. You shot my son and because of you our father lost his mind and spent 40 years in misery!"

"Because of me?"

"You are the reason Colleen died!"

"I couldn't help what mom did, we both know she killed and father knew it too, that's why he left."

"You told her! It was the same if you pulled the trigger yourself." Ej just listened in shock, it finally came out, the reason Colleen died, the reason he and Samantha were stuck in the middle of all this. He knew it had been a while since she left and she must have read his letter by now, he just hoped she wouldn't listen. There was so much more to tell her before he died. He could feel himself slipping away and only had one thing left to say.

"Samantha, tell her I love her!" He said and lost all consciousness. Stephano ran for him and Silvio got away, running to the shore and pulling a boat from beneath some brush, he was gone and the two were left there alone.

"Damn it Elvis, why did you have to choose her?" He said and tried to stop his son from bleeding. At the exact moment Ej said Samantha's name and started to let go, across the ocean, in a villa on the cliffs, Samantha doubled over and grabbed her chest.

"EJ!" She said and screamed in pain, she could feel him slipping away from her.

"What's the matter?" John said and grabbed her as she got up.

"He needs me, something's really wrong. I need to go now!" She said and went to the door, no one stopped her she was determined and they knew better.

"Alright, I'll take you." John said and followed her out, ignoring the glare from Marlena as she turned away from her daughter.

"Go, but I'm staying here." Marlena said and got comfortable on the couch.

"Mother stay, but I will not sit here knowing my husband needs me no matter what you think. I have spent my entire life trying to be Carrie, or Belle and I'm sick of it. I am who I am that is not going to change and he accepts me for that. He accepts me for the conniving and manipulative person that I am and I just wish you could too." She said and walked out the door, John, Bo and Hope following close behind.

Hope tried to talk to her as they got on the boat, and as they approached the island, but she just stood there starring, waiting to see the shore. Knowing, he still had a chance, she could feel it. When the boat pulled close she jumped out and ran through three feet of water to the island and seen Stephano hovering over something.

"EJ!" She screamed and ran to his side, pushing Stephano to the side and grabbed her husband in her arms.

"Sure push me aside, my son's only dying because of you."

"Shut up Stephano, you really don't want to tango with me right now." She said and shot him a look that was the same as the one Ej gave him, he knew when to back off.

"Sami, lets get him in the boat." John said as he and Bo came over to pick him up.

"It's ok honey, come on and wake up. I'm here, come back to me." She said as she kissed his hand before the guys picked him up and headed to the boat. Hope grabbed her in her arms and got her back on the boat, then took off half tempted to leave Stephano behind.

On the way to the hospital Bo called to let Tony what was going on and Samantha just sat with Ej. She held his head in her lap and kept trying to keep him with her, she could feel his heart beating. She just wished he was awake and able to talk to her.

"I got your message, I know you wanted to keep me safe and keep me away. But part of you had to know that would never happen, I'm stubborn but I guess that's a good thing. You have to wake up, I love you and who's going to make me breakfast, or hold me when I need to cry. I can't live without you." She said and his eyes started to flicker, before opening and looked at her.

"Samantha, I love you. Never forget that." He said, and started to slip away again. As they rushed in the hospital, the doctors surrounded them and took him away before she could say anything. Samantha sank to her knees and cried, praying he would be ok. John tried to get her up but it was no use, she had no strength left.

Tony came in and seen her on the floor and feared for the worst, he was gone.

"Don't tell me…" Bo broke in and pulled him aside, knowing the last thing Samantha needed was to hear them talk about Ej. She was already broken enough, he didn't want to make things worse.

"He's pretty bad and lost a lot of blood. They took him back and haven't told us anything yet."

"How is Samantha?"

"Not well, she won't survive loosing him, this could be the one thing that breaks her." Bo said and Stephano just had to but in.

"Then maybe she should have thought about that before she left me son!"

"Stephano really, can you just show an ounce of compassion! If not for me then for your son!" Just as she was about to lay into Stephano, she seen the doctor and ran over to him.

"Mrs. Wells?"

"Yes, how is my husband."


	20. Come Back to Me

Chapter 20

"He's stable and consciousness, but he needs surgery. The bullet nicked one of his lungs and it has caused internal bleeding. We need to repair it or he will bleed to death."

"Then do the surgery, what do you need me to sign something?"

"Yes, and we don't have his blood type. We can't do the surgery without blood to give to him for the blood he will loose when we cut him open."

"What are you saying?"

"If we don't get A+ blood, then there will be no chance at his survival." Samantha instantly collapsed in Hope's arms, knowing that she wasn't a match.

"I'm not a match Samantha, I'm sorry. But, how about it father, spare some blood for the life of your son?" Tony said, as he walked over to him.

"Why? My son sacrificed my life to save hers, let her worry about it." He said and the doctor just gave a confused look.

"I'm a match Samantha." John said as he took off his coat and walked over to her. "The Dimera's already have my past, why not some of my blood." He said and handed her his jacket before kissing her forehead then following the nurse back.

"He's got a chance and he's going to make it, he has to." She said and hugged Hope.

"I know." She said and tried to soothe her, but Stephano just had to ruin it. He laughed and Samantha had enough by that point. She let go of Hope and headed right for Stephano.

"Go away." He said but she just stepped closer to his face.

"You have done more to my family then anyone. You have caused more pain and heartbreak then I can even remember and yet, I was going to put all that behind. Treat you like a human just for the sake of my husband, to respect his love for you. But now, hopefully he will cut you out of his life, because you are not a father, John is a real father! He is helping someone he hates for the sake of a daughter that isn't even his! That is what a father does, anything to insure their children are happy and protected! You, you won't even give blood to your own son because you want to punish him, for what? Loving someone you dislike! Why don't you just leave, you're not wanted here. GO!" She screamed and pushed him towards the door, walking away and headed over to where Hope and Bo stood.

Bo grabbed for her and told her that everything was going to be all right. The doctor came out and handed her the last of the papers for her to sign.

"May I see my husband before surgery?"

"Yes, follow me." She said and disappeared behind two huge doors, leaving Tony to deal with Stephano.

"Samantha's right, you are only making things worse. Why don't you just leave, there is no surprise that you are angry with him. Because for one he has chose something over you, something over this family and that infuriates you. None of this would have happened if you had been honest from the beginning. About Santo, about Silvio, about how this would one day come about."

"Tony, I am your father, do not speak to me this way."

"Stephano I will speak to you however I please, you stopped being my father so many years ago. Now just leave, you put your son in harms way and then condemned him to death for what? Falling in love with a Brady? Get over it!" Tony said and made sure he left the hospital. Hope stood by nodding in approval, if Tony hadn't said something she would have, she knew how hard this was for her niece and she wasn't going to let anyone make it worse for her.

"I can't believe what John is doing for EJ." Bo said as he and Hope walked over to a table to grab a cup of coffee.

"I can, he loves Sami more than anything. She is his daughter, even if DNA says the opposite. You would do the same thing for Ciara and we both know it.

"She is never going near a Dimera."

"Don't worry, there are none her age, that we know of." She said with a smirk and Bo just continued pouring his coffee, not finding it funny.

While the battle continued in the hall and John finished giving blood in another room, Samantha walked into Ej's room and almost broke when she seen him. He was hooked up to a bunch of machines and his eyes were closed, she feared he was unconscious again. Then she approached the bed and he grabbed her hand.

"Samantha." He barely got out for the gasps for air and the coughing, he was really injured and she stopped him from saying anymore.

"I know. I need you to rest before surgery. The doctors are going to make you all better, they are going to fix the damage the bullet did so you can come back to me." She bent down so he could touch her face, she seen his hand moving and knew it must be hard, he went to speak and she put her finger to his lips.

"I love you too. Now relax, you'll be leaving soon and I want to tell you something first. I lied, every time I told you I didn't love you and that I felt nothing, I lied. I wanted you then and I want you now, that day when you came to my house and returned my earrings. I threw you out because I wanted nothing more then to have you hold me and make love to me all over again. When you left, I went into the kitchen and cried for hours, I felt like I was loosing a piece of my heart." She said and kissed him, she could feel him kissing her back and knew he was telling her it would be fine.

"Hopefully by tomorrow you will be out of here and we can go home to our family, our daughters who I am sure will be eager to meet you."

She said and pushed the hair back off his forehead, he pulled her close to him and she knew what he wanted. She kissed him again, and in that kiss was reminded of everything they ever shared, all the pain all the love and everything in between. As the nurse walked in she knew it was her cue to leave.

"Amor vincit omnia." She said as she paused in the door jam and blew him a kiss, he winked at her and she was gone. When she walked back out in the waiting room Stephano was nowhere in sight and John had yet to be back.

"How is he?" Hope said, seeing that she looked more confidant then when she went in.

"He's conscious and is looking a little tired, but I am sure after everything he is."

"Well he barely slept since you were kidnapped."

"There were the couple hours he slept on the floor." Tony said as she walked up to her.

"The floor? There is a huge bed in our room, why was he on the floor?" She asked, confused.

"He said all he could smell was your perfume and you left a robe hanging off the side of the bed, he said that it was too much. So he spent the night leaning against the wall."

"He always could tell when I was in a room, I swear he could smell my perfume a mile away." She said and smirked before sitting down with Hope, to wait for the results of the surgery. After the first hours of waiting, she started to pace and ended up running into John as he came back from the nurses station.

"Vampires now aren't they." He joked as he rolled down his sleeve and Samantha ran into his arms.

"Thank you!"

"Look, we may have had our differences, and I may not understand why you love him. But the fact that he makes you happy and that you love him is enough for me. Your happiness means more to me then any hatred I could have for him or his family."

"I will never forget this," she said and hugged him. "I will always remember what you did for me and for my family." He sat down with her and she waited for word from the doctor. She never dosed off or left the room, in constant fear she would miss the doctor. Finally after four hours of pacing, and trying to remain calm she seen him and ran over to him.

"How is he? How is my husband."

"The damage was worse then what we thought, there was more bleeding then we expected but we were able to stop it all and patch him up. His body went into shock after surgery, from all the blood lose and lack of oxygen do to the injury to his lung. He is in a coma now and we are starting some tests to see if there is any more damage."

John grabbed her, knowing she wouldn't take this well, but she was optimistic and stood on her own.

"Do whatever you have to in order to save my husband, any test and trial. I want everything being done that can be done. I want my husband back!" She said and the doctor took a step back.

"Mrs. Wells, I can assure all is being down for your husband. The next 24 hours are crucial to his recovery."

"He will wake up, I know that. Please, can I see him?" she asked and John stood with her waiting for an answer.

"Of course, follow me." The doctor led her and John back, but he stayed outside the room, waiting in case she needed him.

Samantha grabbed for his hand and put it to her cheek, barely feeling the warmth it once gave her. John watched through the window, remembering all they had been through over the years. Regardless of her being married and being grown up, she was then and always would be his little girl. He would do anything for her, even giving blood to an enemy.

Samantha had tears running down her cheek as she sat with Ej, holding his hand and talking to him. John could see the pain she was in and would have done anything to take it away. As John was cringing at the sight of her so unhappy, Samantha was dying inside looking at her husband so helpless and vulnerable. She had never seen him like this and part of her reveled in it that he needed her.

"Ej, I know you can hear me and you need to wake up. The worst part is over and I won't leave you until you wake up. I will be right here with you until you tell me to leave. The same way you were always there for me, in my apartment or on the island." She finally stopped talking and put her head down on his hands on the bed, she was crying and didn't want anyone to see her like that. "Just come back to me."


	21. Will He Come Back?

Chapter 21

As she cried she let go of everything she was holding inside, all the anger towards his family and pain she felt for him in the hospital bed. After an hour of crying she finally lifted her head up and looked at him.

"I know you like jokes and making me squirm after all I put you through, but this is taking it a little too far." She tried to crack a smile but his lifeless body tore it away and the tears returned. She kissed him and when he didn't respond she knew that it wasn't going well, that he wasn't coming back to her and would forever be lost to her.

John almost burst into the room a hundred times, just wanting to grab her and tell her it was going to be ok but he knew it wouldn't do anything. This was one thing that she needed to get through on her own, she needed to find a way to deal with this that would not break her. He knew in his heart that if Ej loved her like she said he did, that he would fight to come back to her, that nothing would keep them apart.

Samantha letting go and showing that she needed him was the best thing for him because regardless of his coma, he would feel her with him and wake up. As her tears hit his face she could feel his hand twitch and a machine go off and just hoped it was a sign he was coming back to her.

"Doctor." She yelled when she heard the beeping and was quickly pushed out of the way so they could settle the machine and see if it were true, if he was returning to the waking world.

"It's ok Samantha." John said as he hugged her.

"I know, he was trying to grab my hand, he is coming back to me, I know it."

"I'm sorry to say this, but the movement in his hand was involuntary." Samantha almost hit the floor when she heard it, hearing that her husband wasn't fighting like she thought he was.

"He said he would come back to me and he doesn't lie to me!" John caught he as she continued to slide and knew he needed to get her out of there.

"Come on Sami, why don't we go sit down."

"I'm not leaving him." She said and pulled away to be back with Ej, sitting on the side of the bed and holding his hand. "I will not leave him until he tells me to go!"

"Alright, I'm going to tell Bo and Hope what's going on. I will be back." He said and kissed her forehead and she just smiled, knowing he was trying. Before heading back to the waiting room, John grabbed the doctor and wanted to hear it straight.

"Alright, what are his chances?"

"He lost a lot of blood before he got here and the deprivation of oxygen to his brain, his body was shutting down. His body went into survival mode and shut itself off to try and heal."

"So he's going to wake up soon?"

"That's hard to say, coma's are hard to judge. Every case is different. This is something that we just need to wait out." He said and walked away, leaving John unsure of what he was going to do.

John headed back to the waiting room and everyone seen his face and knew the news wasn't good.

"How bad?" Tony asked first.

"He's still in the coma, and the doctor isn't sure when he'll wake up."

"How's Sami?" Hope asked, that being her biggest concern.

"Refuses to leave his side, says she is staying until he tells her to leave."

"I'm going to call Marlena and Roman, I'm sure they're worried about Samantha." Bo said and Hope stood with John.

"Well there has to be a restaurant around here somewhere, she hasn't eaten and I know she's hungry." John said looking at Hope and Tony.

"I know a place, I'll grab something and be back." Tony said and John decided to join her, leaving Hope to go back to see Samantha. Just as John did, she paused outside the door, wanting nothing more then to help her.

"Aunt Hope, I can't loose him." She said as she seen her aunt walk in the room.

"I know honey, but this is beyond your control, you just need to pray that he is strong enough to fight this."

"If he loves me, he'll come back." She said and stopped herself before she finished. "I know he loves me and I know its enough. But how long do I have to wait?" She asked and started to cry as Hope held her.

"It shouldn't take long, I know he loves you more then anything, he fought his father for you. Nearly scared Stephano to death over getting you back."

"It should be me in that bed, I should be the one fighting for my life."

"But that would leave him here crying and how would that help anything?"

"Ej is a lot stronger then me and he'd know what to do, I'm just guessing. I can't do this."

"Yes you can! He gets his strength from you and you know that. Draw your strength from him, he needs you to stay strong."

"Thank you Aunt Hope. I think you're the only one that understands. I just wish my mom and dad could understand like you. I need Ej, he gives me something that no one else can and something I can't describe."

"I know, because I see it in the way he looks at you, or lights up when he says your name. It's like you bring a piece of him alive." She said and smiled, "Bo looks at me that same way, a man who is completely and hopelessly in love." Samantha smiled and looked at her Aunt, they may not have been close over the years, but that was changing. For once, she had someone who cared about her happiness and wanted her to get her happy ending. Just as she was starting to calm, he phone went off and it was Lucas' number.

"Lucas, what's wrong?"

"Mommy!" She heard her daughter say and a part of her melted, she had been so consumed with the kidnapping and Ej, that she forgot to check in with her children.

"Where is your daddy?"

"With Colleen, she isn't feeling well."

"Let me talk to your father."

"Ok Mommy, are you coming home soon?"

"Yes honey, mommy just needs to take care of a friend." She said and Lucas got on the phone moments later. Samantha found out how her daughter was and hung up quickly when she seen the doctor.

"What's wrong at home?"

"Colleen got sick, but she's alright. The girls just want me to come home." She told Hope then stood up to speak to the doctor.

"Mrs. Wells, we want to perform some test to check to see how your husband is doing and see if there is any change from the medication. We need your consent." He said, handing her a clipboard and a pen.

"Do it," she said and signed the paper. "I want him back." She said and Hope escorted her out for the test to be performed. John handed her food when she sat down in a chair and smiled at her.

"You need to eat, keep your strength up."

"I know, thank you." She said and poked at her food, barely eating anything, she was too worried about the tests being performed on her husband. Every time the doors opened she looked to see the doctor, whose name she didn't even know. But none of that mattered, not as long as he husband was unconscious.

"Mrs. Wells, I have some good news. Your husband is showing signs of improvement and we expect him to wake up before morning." Samantha hugged the doctor and never said a word before running back to his room. She wanted to make sure she was the first thing he seen when he finally woke up.

"I knew you'd come back to me. You wouldn't leave your family behind, not after all we went through to get it." She said and kissed him, hoping that with that kiss he would come back to her, wrap his arms around her and tell her he loved her. Just as she was about to pull away, she seen his eyes flutter and knew she did it. She brought him back to her.

"That's it, look at me. Come on honey, come back to me. Come back to our family!" She said and stroked his face, she just didn't get the reaction she intended to get, he looked confused and as if he were in a daze.

"Tony was right, amor vincit omnia." She said and went to kiss him but he stopped her.

"Not that I am one to turn down the kiss of a beautiful woman, but would you mind telling me who you are first?" He said and she felt her heart break, he came back but not to her.

"What? You don't know who I am?"

"I'm sorry, but no. Have we met?" Samantha's face fell and tears were pooling in her eyes, falling down her face and her pain could not be hidden as she fell to the floor.


	22. Playing the Dealt Cards

Chapter 22

Samantha fell to pieces as he said those words, asking who she was, that was the cruelest thing he could ever say to her. How could he not know his own wife? She was suppose to be the love of his life and yet had no recollection of her or their life love.

"Ej now isn't the time for jokes."

"I'm not joking darling, do we know each other?" Samantha staggered away from the bed and leaned against the door, fear showing in her eyes and pain dripping in her tears.

He had come back, just not to her. The doctor came rushing in and pushed her out in the hall and she headed down to the waiting room, using all her strength to stand. But when she got there she collapsed once again on to the floor, leaving everyone confused. Bo and John ran over to her and got her up in a chair, fearing the worse Tony kept distance until she was a little calmer.

"What happened Samantha?" he asked and she just cried even more.

"He's awake, he just doesn't remember me. Tony why don't you go in, maybe he'll know who you are." She said and John's heart broke as he looked at Samantha, crying and feeling as if she lost everything. Hope grabbed her arms and forced her too look in her eyes.

"He will! He couldn't forget his wife completely. I forgot Uncle Bo when I first came back, look at us now! You just need to give him time, he's just confused over all that is going on."

Tony headed into the room and was at a lose for words, there was his brother laughing and joking with the nurses as if nothing had happened. Ej was completely awake and full of life.

"What is wrong with you? I know jokes are your thing, but how dare you do that to her. How could you scare your wife like that!" He said and Ej just looked at him confused.

"I think you have me confused with you brother, I do not have a wife. I am a bachelor, always will be."

"Ej, what's the last thing you remember?" Tony asked, thinking there had to be more to this.

"Father calling me in England and telling me he needed me to take care of something for him and come to the states. Is that when I got hurt?"

"You don't remember Salem?"

"No, where's that?"

"That's where father sent you, where you met you wife over 7 years ago! How don't you remember her? I mean I could see you forgetting the family after all that happened. But I never thought you could forget Samantha, it never seemed possible."

"Will you stop saying I'm married! I think I'd remember a wedding, or at least the honeymoon." He joked and Tony just looked at him blankly. "Now who was the blonde that was in here?"

"Your wife! You were on your honeymoon when all this happened. She got kidnapped, you went to save her and got hurt in the process."

"Tony, we both know I am not the marrying kind. So please, tell me the truth!"

"Oh you weren't Elvis, you had sworn off commitment and actual relationships, then you met Samantha and everything changed. You changed and became someone I never imagined you could be. You fell hard and fast for her and she is not one of your normal bimbos. She could put you in your place and strike fear in you worse then anything you ever imagined."

"Impossible, I'm a Dimera and we fear nothing."

"Really, then you explain why she instilled fear in your father? Telling him to leave her the hell alone and leave because he was not worth your love. She was in his face and never even flinched."

"Please, no one speaks to father like that."

"She did, because she knew it was for your best interest. She is everything to you." Tony said and then tried to catch him up on almost the last decade of his life, everything he went through and the things Samantha put him through before the wedding, but the wedding was left out. He left the details for Samantha to tell that was her place.

"I would never marry someone who denied me so many times."

"Oh yes, because when cupid aims his arrow, he goes for the heart and there is nothing you can do to change your heart." He said and Samantha walked in a moment later.

"I see we're talking about me." She said with conviction in her eyes and put his coat on the chair before walking over to Ej's bed. He wasn't sure why, but a part of him was worried at her being there. It was in her eyes, cool blue and full of something he couldn't quite describe.

"Samantha, I'll leave you two alone, I think you have a lot to talk about." He said and she just nodded, Tony knew Samantha could bring him back to the Ej he knew and was quite fond of as a brother. Tony could see the love she had for him and the determination at making him realize that.

"Look, I know everyone is saying we're married, but you have the wrong guy. I'm not the marrying kind, darling."

"Oh no, I have the right guy." She said and pulled his wallet from behind her back.

"What are you doing, give that back." He said and went to grab for her hand but she just pushed it away.

"No, no no!" She said and then smiled. "I'm proving my point Mr. Wells, or do you prefer Dimera now?" She said with a smirk and pulled out a picture from behind his credit card, it was creased and aged. From before he ever left, he was holding her on the couch and both were smiling.

"How'd that get in there? I never keep pictures of women in my wallet. It only complicates things. Wait, where was that taken?" He said and held it in his hands examining it.

"About 7 years ago in your apartment in Salem. You're right; you never did keep pictures in your wallet, until this one. Said you wanted to have me with you always. See, you were never suppose to fall in love with me, con me yes. Even hurt me, but never fall in love. But there was something at work stronger then either of us and that is exactly what happened. You fell hard and fast! We both did and paid the price when our families found out."

"Why would our families care if we supposedly fell in love?"

"Didn't Tony tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

"I'm a Brady, the daughter of Marlena and Roman."

"Now I know we aren't married, I would never marry a Brady." He said shaking his head.

"But you did and you got hurt saving me." She said and a tear started to fall down her face as she continued. Ej could feel a part of him hurt by her tears, he just wasn't quite sure why. It wasn't like he knew her.

"This wasn't the honeymoon I imagined. It was good at first, spending our first night at the Dimera Mansion, then the private jet here and the way you had the villa set up. I couldn't imagine anything more romantic, the roses and champage, then the bracelet. It was just perfect, but when the doorbell rang, you went to answer it and your Uncle Silvio kidnapped me. But that's over now and doesn't matter, you're safe, I'm safe and our daughters are safe." She said and went to push the hair back from his forehead.

"Wait, hold on. One I don't have an uncle, two I hate roses and three I do not have kids!"

"You have twin girls Colleen and Alice, they're back in Salem with my ex-husband Lucas, and they're

five. But I'm not surprised you don't remember, you never really met them." She said and now he was more confused then ever.

"What?"

"It's complicated." She said and watched hit hands go to his temples, the start of another Samantha headache. "You're getting a headache." She said and started to smirk.

"I don't see how that's funny." He said and she could see the uneasiness in his eyes.

"I always give you a headache when we fight, only one way to get rid of it." She said and leaned over him and started to massage his temples, just as she had so many times before.

"How'd you know to do that?" Samantha just laughed and forced him to look at the wedding bands still on their fingers.

"I'm your wife, and I've had a lot of practice, we did fight a lot!"

"Then why did we get married?"

"Because we just couldn't stay away from one another. Even when we knew it was against our families and would only lead to trouble, we were drawn to one another. When I was married to someone else, we just had an affair, then when you were about to get married, I stepped in and the wedding became ours instead." Samantha seen the confusion and knew she was moving too fast, she decided to slow down and give him some details about his life over the past years, when he came back to Salem and how they found their way back to one another.

"We really have history?"

"I have the divorce papers and you have a bad liver."

"Are you saying I drank a lot?"

"According to Roberto, yes. You even went swimming in a fountain."

"Oh really, well what else do you claim to know about me?"

"Well, you listen to jazz music when you need to relax, you can tango and we even won a contest together, oh and you have a birth mark…" he stopped her there.

"Most of England could tell you that, except for the jazz."

"Ok, your wedding band has an inscription, Prince Charming and mine says Trouble. You're practically always in a suit and you hate the color orange."

"So we dated, none of that proves we were married." He said and she just shook her head, she knew it was too much and she decided to get up and take a break. With her head hung down, she went to get off the bed and walk across the room but he stopped her. Before Ej knew what he was doing, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back on the bed and kissed her. He wasn't sure why he did it, but he did and a part of him was happy for it, if only he knew why.

"Now that's the husband I remember, always taking advantage of the moment." She said and got up, walking over to grab a chair.

"Oh really?" He said and before anything else was said, Hope came to get Samantha before the nurse kicked her out.

"Sami, the nurse is kicking everyone out, visiting hours are over."

"Hope Williams Brady, it's been a while. I see you got our of your gilded cage." He said, and a smirk curled across his face as he stared at her.

"You don't remember your wife, but you remember my aunt?" Samantha said, as she hit him in his arm and then went to grab the jacket he gave her that morning.

"Of course I know her. Father use to talk about her quite often."

"Yes I got out of my cage, I had a family to return to, same as you. I was a prisoner of your father, you seem to be a prisoner of yourself!" She said and headed out of the room to wait for Samantha.

"Well that wasn't nice." Ej said and Samantha just looked away from him. She couldn't believe what her life was coming to, unknown to her husband and her family upset with her for marrying him. She just didn't understand how a man that said he would come back to her, would come back so confused.

"Sami," he started and it hit her hard. She turned around and looked at him, the pools of tears that formed in her eyes running down her face. "What?"

"You never called me Sami, darling yes and even trouble, but never Sami! You said it wasn't right and always, always called me Samantha." She said and turned to leave, stopping at the door. "Maybe I do have the wrong guy." She finished and then pulled the door closed behind her.

"Wait." He said and tried to get out of bed to stop her, but it was no use he was trapped and she was gone. Running into Hope and falling to pieces in the hallway, watching her world crash down around her.

"You ok?"

"I've lost him, I've lost the love off my life. That's not my Ej, I don't know who that is." She said and the two headed back to the Villa to try and get some sleep. Samantha immediately went to her room and ignored everyone in the house. She just sat on the bed and stared around at what was supposed to be her perfect honeymoon.

"Could this really be it?" she said and held up the box that had been delivered while she was away. Inside was a perfect designed gown and tickets to the opera, _Romeo and Juliet_. The same opera Ej said he wanted to take her to for years, that it meant something to the two of them because of their family situations.

Samantha spent most of the night awake, just pacing and trying to come up with a plan to save her marriage. She had to make him remember, but how?


	23. Putting it all on the Line

Chapter 23

Samantha headed to the hospital the next morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. She got a long bath and finally got some breakfast, making sure to leave before anyone could upset her. As she walked through the halls she could hear laughing and hoped it was good news, that her husband was back to his old self. However, the laughing was from the nurse who she found in his bed.

"What the hell?" She said as she dropped the suit bag she had over her arms and stared at a nurse whose dress was partially unbuttoned and jumped off of Ej's bed.

"I'm sorry." She said and wanted to run out of the room, but feared having to go past Samantha.

"You will be sorry, get the hell away from my husband!" She said and flung the door wide open for the nurse to leave.

"Calm down." Ej said, watching her eyes and trying to figure out if it was anger or pain there.

"You want me to calm down? No, I have the right to be angry Ej. Even if you don't remember your vows, you should at least try to honor them." She said and turned away from him, not wanting him to see her cry.

"What are you doing here anyway?"

"The doctor said you could probably be released today, I figured you would want your normal suit to wear home since the one you came in with was ruined. Plus, I figured I could take my husband home."

"Well thank you, but Tony is going to take me home. To the Dimera home where I belong." As he said those words, Samantha felt a piece of her start to break and finally understand all the pain she put Ej thorough all those years ago. All the times she said she didn't belong with him, or didn't love him it was always a lie and now he was making her pay for that. To feel the pain she inflicted on him time and time again.

"Sure, then I guess I should be going."

"That would probably be best." He said and started to get comfortable in bed. She had promised to leave as soon as he asked her to and she was going to keep her word.

She laid the suit bag over the foot of the bed and placed the goodbye letter on top. As she looked at him, the tears had yet to fall as she removed her wedding band and put it on top of the envelope. Trying to leave everything there, even her heart as she turned and walked away without another word. As she closed the door behind her, all the strength she had, all the fight was drained from her and she slid down the door to the floor.

"I've lost!" She whispered and the tears started to fall, pouring to the floor and leaving her completely broken and abandoned on a cold floor. As she closed her eyes, she wanted nothing more then to wake up from the nightmare that had become her life.


	24. King and Queen

Chapter 24

"Samantha, wake up darling." Ej said as he seen the tears falling form her eyes as she slept. He could sense her pain and wanted nothing more then to wake her, but it was impossible. He could barely reach her for all the tubes and wires hooked to him.

Samantha had fallen asleep hours before hand and it was now past midnight, he could see her eye lids twitch and knew it had to be a bad dream.

"Samantha, come back to me, wake up." He said and tried his best to reach her, but it was hard. There seemed to be so much distance between them now.

"Ej," she finally said and pulled her head up, showing the tear marks that seemed permanent on her face. He could see the fear in her eyes and it broke him, how could him being awake cause her so much pain.

"Yes, what's wrong?" He said, and looked curiously at her, confused as why she was backing up. "Darling,"

"No, please no." She said, she wouldn't be able to take him not saying her name again, not knowing who she was or what they were together.

"Samantha, come here! You could at least hug your husband, I mean I did come out of a coma for you." He said and she for a moment stopped moving.

"You remember me?" She asked, confused as what was quite going on, was it a dream? Him not knowing who she was, was it all in her head?

"Of course, how could I forget my wife? You're my other half and my world." He started and then paused motioning for her to come over to him, for him to reassure her of their connection. Before Samantha realized it, she was on the bed next to him and it was almost like she melted in his arms as he held her. "Now what happened?"

"Well," she said and then proceeded to tell what she could remember, her crying and him finally waking up only to be confused as to who she was. He just laughed because he knew that it was impossible, he could never forget her, she was his, his Samantha.

"But see darling, even when I didn't know you, I wanted to kiss you." He said with a smirk and kissed her forehead.

"And the nurse." She said and then pouted as she looked up at him.

"Well before I came to Salem, I would believe that in a second. That I would hit on the first pretty thing that came my way, I cannot deny that Darling, but that all changed once I met you." He said and kissed her hand, however just as she went to kiss him the nurse came in and chased her out.

"I'll be back, I'm going to go tell them the good news." She said and kissed his forehead before leaving. As she opened the door, she saw John leaning against the wall, looking as if he were half asleep. "John, you're still here?"

"Thought you might need me," he said and hugged her. "Just wanted to make sure you were ok. You were looking pretty bad until you finally fell asleep."

"Too bad I had the worst nightmare of my life." Samantha said and the two headed out to the waiting room.

"How is he?" Tony said, walking up hoping she had good news.

"He's awake, he came back to me." She said and went to sit down. "Wait, where's Stephano?"

"He elected to go home," Tony said and then winked at Samantha. "Why don't I go call him and tell him what's going on."

"See, told you everything would be fine." Hope said and Samantha just hugged her, knowing her aunt was the only one that understood things, she wasn't quite sure if that conversation was part of the dream or reality, but it didn't matter. Samantha knew from the look of concern in Hope's eyes that it was real, their conversation, the talk that made them connect, was real to her.

"Thank you, I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you."

"I don't know what I did," before Hope could say any more, Samantha interrupted.

"You believed in us, you believed in me and Ej. And the love that we have for one another."

"Well that's easy to see, he wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to you."

"I think I'm starting to take after him." Samantha said and started to figure out when she had fallen asleep, when he first came out of surgery. When John followed her back, but that had to be hours ago, she had slept that long, slept through his entire fight to come back to her. Then when he finally did come back, she was asleep and he had to wake her up, talk about the irony.

As Samantha gave the doctor time, she quickly headed back to check on her husband, it may have been past midnight, but she was awake as she had ever been and wanted to see him. The doctor had good news, he should be released in the morning and make a full recovery, as long as he gets rest.

"Can't my wife just observe me from home tonight, I'm sure she'll take good care of me." Ej said, trying to con his way out of spending the night.

"Hold it right there Cassanova, you are staying right there in that bed, don't even think about talking the nurse into something else. You need the rest." Samantha said and Ej knew he was caught.

"Come on, you know I hate hospitals."

"Me too, but you would insist on me staying and we both know it, so behave and don't make me have to tie you to your bed." She said with a smirk.

"Promises, promises Darling." He said and the nurse just laughed as she walked out of the room.

"When we get home, now. Try to just get some rest and relax, put everything else to bed. You are going to be fine and I'll be safe at the villa."

"You're not staying?"

"One they won't let me, two I need a shower and a change of clothes, and not to mention food and three my family will be there to protect me. Plus, we both know that if I stay here there won't be rest for either of us and you heard the doctor."

"So?" He said and pulled her back onto the bed and into a kiss. She got lost up in it, knowing that was where she always wanted to be, wrapped up in his arms feeling his heart beat in his chest as he kissed her. Making that passion she suppressed all the years he was go come to life once again.

"Rest, I'll be back in the morning to bring you home. My family will watch over me at the villa and I will try not to attack your father while I'm there."

"Where is my father? I would think he would be back to check on me."

"Me and Tony through him out. After what he did he was lucky I didn't kill him."

"Me getting shot wasn't entirely his fault though."

"IT wasn't you getting shot that pushed me over the edge, he didn't need to blame me and make me feel any worse. He especially didn't need to deny you the one thing you needed more then anything."

"What are you talking about?"

"Remember me telling you about he surgery, well they needed blood and Stephano wouldn't give you what you needed. He said it was my fault and my problem to deal with it." She said and a tear started to fall down her face.

"What?" he asked confused as he wiped away the tear. "Then who gave me blood, I know we're not a match."

"Me." John said and walked into the room, keeping his distance from the two of them.

"You?" now Ej was more confused then ever and didn't hide it. He knew how much John hated him and that was before he found out who he really was. "But why?"

"Samantha. She needed me to save you. I'd do anything for her, you'll learn that as a father. You may not like the men your daughters marry, but you will be damned if you will be the cause of their pain. You think watching your wife cry is bad, wait till it's your little girl. There is nothing that will make your heart break more then that, there is no pain like that. Makes you do things you never imagined you would."

"I can't thank you enough. You gave me a second chance with my family." He said and hugged Samantha, causing a smile to grow from ear to ear across her face.

"Plus, anyone willing to do what you did for someone else deserves a second chance. Welcome to the family, we'll all be watching you." He said and walked over to shake Ej's hand, showing there was a chance at redemption.

"That means a lot to me, thank you. I know how close Samantha is to her family and I would never want to change that. It's no secret you all weren't too thrilled with our wedding."

"Most still aren't, but you have a couple ally's in me and Hope."

"And me." Samantha said and started to get up from the bed but he just pulled her back down.

"That's all that matters, you and our girls." He said and then kissed his wife goodbye before she left with John.

The entire ride Samantha had a smile on her face, and just knew that everything was going to be fine now. She called to check on her kids and Lucas assured her they knew nothing that happened and everything was fine. They missed their mom, but she said they should be home in a day or two, if all went well with the Ej and the doctor.

However, once she walked into the villa everything got worse, Stephano was in his wheel chair, brandy in hand and ready for a fight. Marlena and Roman were sitting on the couch and their faces showed they wanted a piece of her too; nevertheless she dismissed all of them.

"Look, I have had three of the worst days of my life, I have been kidnapped, hurt and I almost lost my husband. I will be damned if I will let you wreck this feeling, finally I am getting my life together and you will NOT ruin that for me. I have been to hell and back, please just give me the rest I need. Let me eat and lay down, I deserve that, fight amongst yourselves. I married Ej and that will never change, we are together and I assure you that after this, NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING will pull us apart again. Marriage is forever, remember?" She said and walked past everyone and into the kitchen where Roberto was setting out some food.

"Thought you might be hungry, glad to hear Ej is going to be alright."

"I know, I really am not sure I could have lost him. Not after everything I went through to get him back. Did he tell you about the wedding?" She said as Roberto put some food in the microwave.

"Not the details."

"Well I planned it for weeks, stopping the wedding and stealing the engagement ring he bought before he ever left Salem."

"I knew that ring looked familiar, I'll never forget when he jumped in the fountain for it."

"He really did that?"

"Yep, not far from here. Said it gave him hope, like that old picture that you would come back to him."

"Well that ring is what made me realize how much I loved him. Seeing that he still had hope, faith that we would be together again gave me the strength to admit it to myself. So, I crashed his wedding, knocked out his bride and asked him to marry me."

"Wish I could have been there, but I probably would have been helping you. He never had that tone in his voice talking about her like he did when he talked about you."

"Guessing you knew about the affair?"

"Ya, first time I heard him have even a moment of happiness, just saying your name gave him that again."

"Well, we're together now and my family will not ruin that for us." She said and before she could say anything else, Stephano was standing in her way of heading upstairs with her food.

"You want to bet on that? See we've decided that this union needs to be undone, a Brady and Dimera, it was never meant to be."

"What about your father? He seemed real determined to be with my Great Aunt, or are you not acknowledging that? Wait, is that why you hate my family, because a Brady broke up your family?" She asked and when there was no answer she knew she was right. "Pretty pathedic, something that made your father so happy would be the cause of so much pain. Guess it does make sense, you didn't start this stupid vendetta with my family until after he died. But none of that matters, Ej will never let you hurt me or my family ever again and you know it."

"So sure of yourself Samantha."

"When it comes to Ej, ALWAYS. Now get out of my way old man," she said and pushed past him, but stopped knowing there was more to be said. "I promised him I would be nice and not throw you out, please don't make me have to break that promise. We both know I will, I can get him to forgive me, can you?" She said and thanked Roberto for the food before heading to bed, it was already 3am and she intended on getting at least a little bit of sleep

After eating and getting a shower, she pulled on one of his dress shirts and climbed into bed. The rose petals were still all around, and the box he had been waiting for that night was sitting next to the bed, she waited to open it though, knowing how much he wanted to give it to her. As she started to drift off to sleep, she started to think about how perfect their life was finally getting. Soon they would be home, home to their house, their daughters and their life with one another.


	25. Putting the Pieces Together Again

Chapter 25

Samantha had the ideal fantasy in her head; they were bound together in marriage and with their daughters, but most of all as soul mates. Yes, she would always be connected to the Dimera family because of him, but she knew that Ej would always protect her and put their family first. Knowing that, she wasn't sure how it happened, but she fell more in love with him then before, she didn't even know it was possible.

As Samantha began to stir, she reached across the bed and felt someone grab for her hand. Even though she wasn't completely awake, she knew it was him, that he left the hospital and came home to her, part of her couldn't be happier as she moved closer to him.

"You should be at the hospital."

"Tony got me out a little bit ago. Don't worry I was released. Doctor said for me to take it easy and I should be fine, I have to go see my doctor when I get home."

"I would have come and got you."

"I know, I told him not to wake you when I called, I figured you would be tired, it was late when you finally left the hospital."

"Ya, I can't believe I slept this long." She said, noticing the time on the clock said it was past noon.

"Well, see then I was right." He said and pulled her close to him to hold her in his arms.

"You know, I was having a good dream when you woke me up." He just laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"Oh really? Was I in it?"

"Of course, we were home. I walked out on the porch and looked at you with the girls. You were pushing Colleen on the swing hanging from tree and Alice was running circles are you. You just couldn't seem to get a hold of her and started chasing her around the yard before you finally caught her. Your face, I've never seen you with a smile like that, when she called you daddy it was if everything fell into place for you."

"Sounds perfect."

"Well, until Alice talked you into taking her racing and I yell at you for it. It seems you couldn't say no to her pouting face,"

"I could never say no to you, why should our little girl be any different?" He said interrupting his wife and laughing as he thought about it.

"Shut up, now you're just being mean." She said and hit him on the arm.

"No, just honest Darling." She just looked at him and smiled, seeing the love of her life looking back at her. But before she could say anything to him, he kissed her. He may have been in pain as she leaned against his wound, but he never showed the pain, Ej had been dreaming about holding his wife since she disappeared and nothing was going to ruin it.

Just as he was finally getting everything he wanted, his wife making love to him, his father came bursting into the room. Causing Samantha to pull for the sheet and Ej to get angry as he reached next to the bed for the pants he had been wearing.

"What the hell."

"Elvis, come on, we are going home now."

"Father, knocking, people knock. Now, what do you mean?"

"To take you home, away from all this nonsense and chaos, where you belong." He said, the entire time giving Samantha an evil stare.

"I belong with my wife, and our daughters, not with you, every again! I wasn't important enough for a blood transfusion remember, I was Samantha's problem. So please explain to me why I am so important to you now. What, you have a change of heart?"

"He'd have to have one first." Samantha said and headed to the bathroom to get dressed. Ej just gave Samantha a look as she said it and she disappeared behind the door, listening to the two argue as if it were a daily routine. Nevertheless, she had enough as she pulled on a pair of jeans and went out after Stephano, not wanting him to upset Ej any more in his condition.

"That's enough," she said as she stepped between them and right in Stephano's face. "I warned you last night to back off. We are going home today, but not with you! With my family, so get over yourself. You are no longer in control old man, get use to it, because you will never break up my family again, try it and I will make you pay for it." She said and headed over to open the door for him to leave. "Now get the hell out of my sight." She screamed, watching his face change as he looked at Ej who did nothing to defend him.

"You are just going to stand there and watch this woman talk to your father this way."

"Yes, she is my wife and she is my priority. In case you seem to have forgotten, besides, she is right! You are not in charge any longer, now leave."

"You're a Dimera, our family always comes first!"

"I'm not a Dimera, I'm a Wells." He said as he stood next to his wife and waited for his father to leave before slamming the door behind him. As he closed the doors he pushed his hands out to catch him from falling and balance himself against the door as he realized what he just did.

"I'm sorry, I know how much he means to you." Samantha said as she stood behind him and leaned against him to show he still had her.

"Ya, well it was never enough for him to love me back." He said and turned around to hug his wife.

"I love you, does that count?"

"That means everything," he said and kissed her before remembering how they were getting home. "You sure your family won't mind if we ride back to Salem with them?"

"I doubt it, I mean John was serious when he said you deserved a second chance, and Hope is on our side. All we have to worry about is my parents I told them to go to hell last night if they couldn't accept our marriage. I will not loose you for my family, I just won't do it." She said and started to pack up her clothes.

"I'm guessing your parents still don't like this?"

"No, but that doesn't matter anymore, I'm sick of pleasing them. It's about me and making sure I'm happy." She said and walked up to her husband, kissing him and making him smile.

"I think I can deal with that, and Hope will be helpful. She was the only one that believed me when I said I would do anything for you and that I loved you. She said that we are a lot alike, me and you and her and Bo."

"I can see that, we sure fight a lot, let the world know when we're mad at each other. But deep down, we both know that there is no one we would rather love and that us fighting is better then us being apart."

"Ya, you push all the right buttons, but I wouldn't have it any other way. You are the only one to make me feel whole." He said and handed her the shirt she left on the chair.

"Well, you don't seem to mind making me crazy. Saying things just to get a rise out of me, how did you put it, oh yes **get my Irish up**." She said and threw a shirt at him from across the room.

"What can I say, the making up is just as much fun as the fight." He said and noticed she had yet to open her present. "You never opened it."

"You were so excited about giving it to me, I guess I figured you would want to watch me open it. But since you're here." She said and quickly grabbed the box tearing off the paper, she was still impatient. She gasped when she seen what was inside, a diamond necklace with matching earrings, designer dress and two tickets to the opera **Romeo and Juliet**. The same one he always wanted to take her to when they were in Salem.

"But how did you? I mean this is gorgeous."  
"Well, I told you I wanted to take you, the only problem is the tickets were for last night so I guess we'll have to try again another day." He said and laughed, not caring that they missed the biggest surprise he had for her.

"I'm sorry, I know you really wanted this."

"Don't be sorry, I should have woken up from my coma sooner. Now, lets just get downstairs and figure out how we're getting back to our girls, ok?" He said and closed up his suitcase before helping her with hers. She just laughed as the two headed down the stairs, Ej wincing with pain as he went down the stairs, feeling the strain on the muscles where his incision was.

"John, would it be ok with we rode back with you, we didn't get a chance to make arrangements and I really want to get back to the girls."

"Of course, I was just going to ask if you wanted to come with us." He said, ignoring the look Marlena was giving the two of them from across the room. Ej just stood out of the way at the bottom of the steps, waiting for an answer and holding his side as Hope walked up to him.

"You don't look so good?"

"Been shot, went into a coma and told my father he is not my family anymore, guess you could say it's been a rough couple of days."

"So that argument was real? You really told Stephano to go to hell?"

"That was Samantha, I don't think I've ever seen her so mad, but ya I told him that I am no longer a Dimera and he was not to treat me as his son. The family bond we once had is gone and will never be mended. I'm a Wells, not a Dimera." He said and froze when he seen John come his way.

"How about I help you put those in the trunk, you look like you're in a little pain."

"Thank you, who knew being shot would hurt so much." He joked and followed John out to the limo.

"So you really told Stephano off."

"Not entirely, just followed Samantha's lead. I just couldn't stand there and watch what he does to people anymore, I'm not a Dimera, I'm a Wells and I told him that."

"You'll always be his son."

"Biology isn't everything. Look at you and Samantha, it wouldn't matter if she was your daughter, you'd love her just the same."

"It wasn't always that way, we had our rough spots."

"Oh I remember, but one day she just said it wasn't worth the anger anymore and you were good to her growing up. That she knew you loved her and would protect her if the time called for it."

"She was right, she always had a special place in my heart. We are a lot a like, always with a plan. Sami, she was always guarded and the first time I seen that guard down was when it came to you. She couldn't hide from you."

"I remember, when I first met her I had so many walls to knock down before I could even get near her."

"You're the reason her guard came down, because you would be there no matter what."

"I did tell her that, more then once but I really don't think she blieved it. I mean, I told her that nothing she could do would ever scare me away, but it seemed like she kept trying to see if I was telling the truth, like I had to pass a test."

"That's my Sami, always pushing buttons." John said and laughed before closing the trunk and looking in at Marlena, staring at them from the window.

"She hates me," Ej said and John just laughed.

"She'll come around, just give her time."

"Hopefully soon, even though Samantha won't admit it, she wants to be close to her mother again. She wasn't her acceptance, like Hope and you. She said that it's almost like Hope is her mother because she is always there to help us."

"That's just Hope, she's a sucker for romance, always was." John said and laughed but froze before he headed to the house. "Just remember, if you break her heart, you have me to deal with!"

"Well I can promise you that I will do everything in my power to make her happy and keep her happy. She's my everything." He said and smiled as he seen her headed out the door. John just smiled and laughed as he seen the two embrace at the car.

Samantha and Ej joked as they talked about everything they have been through, all that it took for them to finally be together, and as they got in the car and took one last look at the villa they couldn't help but feel sorry for their family members that would knew what it was like to love. Santo and Colleen, being driven apart but circumstance and obligation, just like they were all those years ago.


	26. Future Lovers

**A/N**: Sorry it took me so long for the next chapter, just couldn't figure out how I wanted to end it!

Chapter 26

After being home for a year, Samantha finally felt like she had everything. Her vision of a family really came true, Will was off at college and Ej was a wonderful father to the twins. She even got her fantasy when she stepped out on the porch and seen Ej chasing the girls around the yard, Alice still trying to convince him to take her for a ride in his race car but he always just said "Ask your mother."

On the night of Samantha and Ej's one year anniversary Ej had a surprise for her, she expected a dinner out and then coming home to an empty house since Lucas had the girls but she got the complete opposite. It was like he took them on a journey through their past. He left her a scavenger hunt to find him and that left her very impatient as she struggled to find out what he had planned when the limo pulled up in front of the house. The first clue led her to a hardware store in order of finding a wrench tied with a bow and a note.

If it weren't for this I truly would never have met you in the most memorable and precarious way. Now you just need to find shelter from the storm, don't be afraid.

When she read the clue she just laughed as she picked up the next note and headed to that abandoned house they took shelter in from the rain on her wedding day to Austin. As she stepped inside, there were candles lighting the room and the same soft music playing as she seen the old military jacket thrown over a chair.

Bring this with you for the next clue, it might be a little chilly where you're headed. Just follow the music of your heart and you surely won't get lost.

She laughed and knew where she needed to go, back to the pier where they won their tango contest and she knew that was where she would find him. He was one for romance and this just made their first year together even more special. He took the time out to remind her how they found their way to one another and left out all the unpleasant memories to show it didn't matter, they would always find their way to one another.

"Ej, now that you have had your fun do you think you could give your wife a kiss?" She said as she walked out on the pier and heard that familiar tango music. As he came up behind her and put his arm about her waist she instantly melted against him, knowing his touch by heart.

"I see you found me." He said and started to laugh as he twirled her around to the music causing her to face him.

"Well all I had to do was take a stroll down memory lane." She said and laughed as she kissed her husband.

"What can I say, I'm a bit of a romantic. Now, ready for the real surprise?"

"Sure, what is it?" She said, smiling as she stared into his eyes trying to remember how she could ever have been apart from him. Ej pulled a key out of his pocket and handed it to her. "Ej, what's this?" She said, looking at the key as if it were familiar but not exactly knowing what it went to.

"A cabin, the Horton Cabin to be exact. Hope said we could use it for the weekend, just get a way for a little bit and relax, like the honeymoon we never had." He said and kissed her wrist.

"The Horton Cabin, I haven't been there in years." She said and smiled thinking about the privacy they would have being away from Salem for a little bit. "I can't believe Hope gave us the keys, I mean I'm not exactly family."

"Yes you are, Hope is your aunt and she feels bad that your mother and father don't seem to embrace our marriage but she suggested it as a way to show you have her support. Lucas said he is fine with keeping the girls, said we could have them next weekend and we don't have to pick them up until Monday after school. What do you say?" He said, hoping that she would say yes, but he didn't need words to get her answer as he looked in her eyes and seen a smile cross her face.

"I'll go get the car." He said and pulled her close to him as they walked off the pier and got into the little sports car he rarely got to use anymore.

"Wait, Ej I didn't pack a bag." She said and looked at him.

"Not that we'll be leaving the bedroom I assure you, but I grabbed a couple things for you." He said and she kissed him before the two headed off for their romantic weekend. As Samantha looked at her husband she started to remember their wedding, and all the events that followed, everything they had overcome together. Nothing would ever pull them apart again.

Watching as he reached for her hand as he drove, she just knew tonight was the night to give him the good news. The present she had for him, couldn't be wrapped in a box or hidden in a drawer like his always were for her. This one was different.

As the two walked into the cabin Samantha looked at her husband and pulled him over to the bed, kissing him gently before pulling away and getting a serious look to show she really needed him to listen to her.

"Ej, stop that I'm trying to tell you something." She said as he started to kiss her neck, showing he really wasn't that interesting at talking at the moment. "Please, just let me tell you this I've been waiting for weeks not sure how to say it." She said and he started to get scared, afraid that it was bad news, that something happened, a reason she seemed a little distant.

"Darling what is it?" He said, seeing as she bit her lip to show she was unsure how he would react. "Remember, nothing could ever make me leave you." He said, knowing that would reassure her.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out and was shocked at how he reacted, she already had a son in college, twin girls headed to middle school and yet she was yet again pregnant.

"Really?" He said and stood up in shock but yet happy at the same time. "Are you sure?"

"Ya, I went to the doctor a couple weeks ago and just have trying to figure out how to tell you. I was afraid…" but he stopped her, trying to figure out how she could think it was bad news.

"Darling, what did you think I would say?"

"Well we never talked about another baby and wasn't sure if you really wanted to have one and I know I really am not too thrilled at doing it again." She said and started to cry as he hit his knees in front of her and dried all her tears.

"Samantha, this is best news you could give me. I know we never talked about it but I did always want a son." He said and paused when she started to smile. "I don't want you ever to be afraid to tell me anything, especially when its good news. We have been through so much and there is nothing that could tear us apart ever again, we are in this forever. Just like Colleen and Santo, we are united in body and soul." He said and kissed his wife before she broke away and stared at him.

"Ej." Was all she could get out before she felt the urge to kiss him again. Knowing in that moment that everything would be ok, that their lives would always be perfect because there was nothing one wouldn't do for the other.

As Samantha laid in Ej's arms that night as he slept she looked out he window and stared at the moon over the water.

"I finally understand what my mother was always trying to tell him. Life isn't about making all the right choices, it's about making the choices that are best for you and for your family. Sometimes it's ok to be selfish, and a little spoiled. Just as long as you know there has to be balance. My mother found her balance with John and mine is with Ej. I guess we're not that different after all, both falling for former Dimera men who loves us completely and unconditionally." She said in a whisper, doing her best not to wake Ej, but needing to say it in order to really understand.

As she played with the wedding ring on her finger and looked over at Ej she finally felt at peace. She had everything she dreamed about as a little girl, all the fantasies about being married to Austin were gone, Austin was never the love of her life, how could he be when he walked out time and time again. Ej would never do that, he was willing to give up his life for her and that was something she knew Austin would never have done, not even Lucas or Brandon, they all didn't love her enough and now that she found that love she never intended on loosing it.

As she put her mind to rest will all thoughts of losing her family, she snuggled under Ej's arm and he pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head, he didn't have to be awake to know what she needed.

Samantha got up early in the morning while Ej rested and went over to the Brady Family album that was kept on a shelf by the fire place and pulled it out. Whether her family liked it or not she was married to Ej and knew this was the one to last. She pulled out a pen and started to put in their entry, how they fell in love and their advice to anyone that looked at, as Ej woke up he came up behind her and read the final inscription she wrote at the bottom and couldn't have said it better himself.

The love you are willing to give up is not the eternal love you seek, don't listen to anyone but your heart when it comes to who you are suppose to love. Love doesn't look at ones skin tone, or family history, only at the soul within the person and that is what is really important. Ej and I may not have been high school sweet hearts, or kids that grew up together, but we're two halves to a real love that no one will ever question. Remember: Love is like war, easy to begin but hard to end!

--THE END--


End file.
